Consumer Sciences Career Services Center
Introduction to Career Planning and Job Hunting Skills
The primary step in locating a first job or changing jobs is to consider who you are and what you want. This process, known as self-assessment, requires you to look at your limitations as well as your strengths. Finding the right job means finding the job that is right for you.
For more information about self-assessment stop by the CS Career Center or read the following books that will help you with your self-assessment:
- Your Career: Choices, Chances, Changes by D. C. Borchard, J. J. Kelly, and N. P. K. Weaver
- The 2002 What Color Is Your Parachute by R. N. Bolles
The self-assessment should always include an evaluation of your personal characteristics and skills. The ten most important personal characteristics employers seek are:
honesty/integrity, motivation/initiative, communication skills, self-confidence, flexibility, interpersonal skills, strong work ethic, teamwork skills, leadership skills, and enthusiasm.
The most important skills include: interpersonal, teamwork, analytical, oral communication, flexibility, computer skills written communication, leadership, work experience, internship experience, and co-op experience.
One of the biggest problems many job seekers have is psychological. Most college graduates question their choice of major. Any job hunter can tell you how depressing it is to receive rejection letters, or worse, to receive no response at all. While nothing can remove the sting of rejection or eliminate the questions you have about your self, keep the following things in mind:
- First, there is nothing personal in the process. Employers are looking for people to fit a particular job. While you may be very well qualified, someone else may have that one special skill which you lack which a particular employer wants.
- Second, there are a lot of resumes being mailed to employer all the time (as many as thousands). Keep things in perspective. Maintain contacts with family or friends.
- The most important thing to remember is that job hunting is a job. Many experts recommend that you treat it as work. This means getting rid of the cute message on the answering machine, taking time to do things right, and checking everything which goes out two or three times. It would be a shame if you lost the job of your dreams because a potential employer heard your room mate belching hello on the answering machine or did not think your email address hotchick@hotmail.com was appropriate or you misspelled her name on the letter. BE PROFESSIONAL!
For more information on job hunting check the following web sites:
What kind of salary can you expect? The National Association of Colleges and Employees Salary Survey gave the average starting salaries for graduates in a number of different degree programs. (Remember your salary will depend upon where you live and the type of job you take.)
| Major | Salary |
|---|---|
| Engineering Majors | $49,636 |
| Computer Science Majors | $49,110 |
| Business Majors | $41,233 |
| Health Science Majors | $39,499 |
| Sciences Majors | $38,121 |
| Home Economics Majors | $33,565 |
| Agriculture & Natural Resources | $32,403 |
| Communication Majors | $31,900 |
| Humantiies & Social Sciences | $31,212 |
| Education Majors | $30,646 |
REMEMBER: If you have any questions or need information, visit the CS Career Services Office in 262D Campbell Hall or make an appointment with Nancy Dugan by emailing dugan.2@osu.edu or by calling 292-3088.
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