Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 21, 1979)
Career planner hands out job-seeking tips By KfcL/ US BORN Of the Emerald Discouragement and rejection are built into any job search, says Neil Murray, director of University Career Planning and Placement, but careful planning can make the process more profitable. Murray outlined hints for the job-seeker Tuesday in a brown bag lunch sponsored by Univer sity Lifelong Learning Services, an advising and counseling prog ram for “older-than-average” students. The first step in finding a job, Murray told the small group, is to focus on the career options avail able. “Try to get at least some boundaries around what kinds of careers might interest you,” he said. Information is needed to get that focus — read everything you can, he suggested. Career Plan ning and Placement, in its Career Information Center, has many pamphlets, job encyclopedias and other publications, Murray added. Job-seekers can gain informa tion through talking with people and even spending time on the job to get an idea of what it’s really like, Murray said. “Talk to people,” he advised. “You’d be surprised how much people will want to talk with you — they'll be flattered.” Once a student has job informa tion, academic plans and career objectives must be coordinated, Murray said. More than the degree in a par ticular major is needed, he said. A double major or a concentration in other areas will supplement the primary area of study and solid academic planning is good prep aration for entering the job market. Students also can work to get practical experience, Murray said. “Most of us have more experience than we know we have.” Most individuals probably think experience is something that comes with jobs. “We work and somebody pays us,” Murray said. But people also gain useful ex perience through volunteer work. Volunteer experience helps to develop good job skills and also allows students to establish off campus contacts. Employers use the word “lead ership” or its euphemisms, Mur ray warned. “They want to feel that they are hiring people who are stimulating, who will carry the ball.” Students can gain leadership skills through various kinds of work, he added. “Establish, coor dinate, manage, innovate... all are words that connote leader ship." Who gets hired — notwho gets interviewed — is often based on communications skills, Murray said. Another key to the job search is improving skill in com mununicating, particularly ver bally. "Practice by doing it as often as you can,” he suggested, adding that his office has aids to improv ing such skills. In addition to offer ing an interview skills workshop, Career Planning and Placement has a videotape which students can use to record themselves “in action.” “It isn’t easy,” Murray stressed, noting that finding “the” job re quires certain skills which stu dents should begin thinking about now. Landing a job requires effective resumes, personal interviews By LORRAINE NELSON Of the Emerald Because employers usually hire workers on the basis of re sumes, personal interviews and references, it’s important to use them wisely when trying to land a job. A resume is an inventory of both experience and education, says June Wyant, a resume writing instructor at Career Plan ning and Placement for the past seven years. She urges students to make a list of past experience, including involvement in campus programs, and to emphasize skills in com munication, coordination, respon sibility and leadership. Resumes should be kept to one page and should begin with the most important and unique characteristic about anyone: a name. An address and phone number to make yourself accessi ble to a potential employer are also musts. Next should come employee goals and objectives. Wyant recommends listing ex perience in reverse chronology and writing in the active voice to add interest. Personal information, if in cluded, should be given low prior ity at the bottom of the page. Because references merely show that all the information can be verified, they can be “furnished upon request.” Resumes that are hand-carried to a potential employer do not need an introduction, but those sent through the mail need a cover letter, Wyant says. Additionally, job hunters should research the organization and find who might actually do the hiring. The first paragraph of a cover letter should flatter by explaining why that organization was cho sen. The second should list either an objective or the reasons why they qualify as a potential emp loyer. The third paragraph should ask for action and be an aggressive statement as to how you can get together. Then, if after the time spent re searching a company, fretting over a resume and letter, and wait ing for a reply finally results in an interview, still left is the task of making that employer want a new employee. "People really need to sen themselves,” says Kathy Buss man, an employment interviewer in the personnel department at Pacific Northwest Bell. “It’s dif ficult for the interviewer to be the motivator and therefore, it’s impor tant to project yourself.” Bussman taught an interview workshop at the Career Planning and Placement Center while work ing on her master's degree in counseling two years ago. Al though she thought at the time the methods taught were very useful and effective, she has now formed her own opinions about a suc cessful interview. “Be confident, go looking for a job with a reason, and stick to that reason,” she says. “I want to hear about what you've done, what you liked about your last job, and how your super visor would rate you,” she says. Being visible in continuing to contact a potential employer is important, she says, but a letter is less intrusive than a phone call. Researching the job adds to a persons credibility and shows they are interested enough in the job to find out about it. Once a person knows what the job is, dressing for the job is a statement that says a person is ready to stop being a student and go to work, as well as showing serious interest. “A little bit of nervousness helps to keep you humble,” she says. And you have to remember, "The recru iters are people too. Not too long ago they were in this position too. They have kids and a house and they go jogging and they are honestly interested in you.” —8.mu Food Service SODA BAR Open 8:30 AM-11:15 PM Mon.-Fri. Sat 10:00 AM-11:15 PM Sun 12:00 Noon-ll:15 PM The soda bar serves donuts, soft drinks, fruit juices, ice cream, yogurt, coffee, tea, hot chocolate, cookies as well as other things. Photo by Keith Allen Career placement director Neil Murray says “talking to people” is important when hunting a job. 30 Campus Copy Self-service copies From 8 am to 9 am and 6 pm to 8 pm 7h-J l. 1 3th - 6X11431 Don’t throw away those old tennis, basketball or jogging shoes — have them resoled. For the month of February take advantage of these special prices: ANY SHOE RESOLED — $13.50 New prices as of March 1: Tennis & Basketball — $16.50 Running — $14.50 Choose from 7 different sole designs! We replace laces; insoles and arches (if needed) at no extra cost. Downtown on the Mall 79 W. Broadway 687-9114 45 Silver Lane 689-6955 or drop your shoes off at these resole outlets: The Running Co. 2705 Willamette Stu’s Locker Room 2050 Olympic Springfield Trackside Sporting Goods 1495 E. 19th next to the 6iant Grinder John Warren’s 771 Willamette and Valley River Center Osaga Retail Store Valley River Center Willow Creek Raquet Club 4201 W. 13th
