Researching Jobs
Now that you've determined your interests and skills, it's time
to do some heavy-duty research. (Don't lose sight of the fact that your ability
to do efficient, productive research in your quest for employment is the direct
result of the skills you gained in your liberal arts degree!) Figure out what
job descriptions match your skills and passions. Determine your long-term and
short-term career goals. The Occupational Outlook Handbook and the Dictionary of
Occupational Titles, as well as many other job search books can be quite
helpful. Don't forget to look into jobs in the non-profit sector.
To get you started, here's a sampling of the broad scope of positions liberal
arts majors often occupy. Note that for some professions, you'll need to get an
advanced degree:
Journalist Manager (in retail, food service, hotels, etc.)
Research Assistant Editor
Social Worker Urban Planner
Investment Banker Translator
Entrepreneur Human Resources Hiring Manager
Teacher Technical Writer
Counselor/Therapist Copy Editor
Paralegal Event Planner
Press Secretary Librarian
Actor Political Campaign Manager
Lay-out Designer Interior Designer
Publisher Detective
Agent Management Consultant
The next step is reconciling your self-assessment and research with the job
market. You may not find a perfect match, but with some creativity you should at
least be able to find a job that will put you on the right track or help you
gain the skills you will need to achieve your long-term goal.
Since you've targeted some potential employers, it's time to market yourself.
When you put together your cover letter and resume, tailor them to the company's
mission. Think about how the skills you learned in that Shakespeare class apply
to your chosen line of work. For example, in journalism, the fact you crafted an
excellent academic research paper on animal imagery in Taming of the Shrew
translates to an ability to write and report a story. In management consulting,
your class presentation about madness in Hamlet translates to upper-level
presentation and organization skills.
Also, in marketing yourself to employers, use language appropriate to the field
in which the company works. It's important to come across as someone with a
vision for your future as well as specific, immediate ambitions. Convey an
understanding of the broad goals of the company as well as specific ideas of how
you will contribute and better the company.
Remember that while your first job probably won't match your long-term career
goal, it is a stepping stone, the first step on a path toward your dreams.
ResumeEdge
- By providing powerful, distinctive resumes that consistently win interviews,
our hand-picked team of certified resume writers have helped thousands of
clients articulate their qualifications and land jobs at the nation's top
employers, from Microsoft, Cisco, and Goldman Sachs to McKinsey, AT&T, and the
federal government. 
Career Tips
Career Books
Career Magazines
If you are a career coach, email
webmaster@chicagojobresource or
webmaster@FirstJobResource for details on how to contribute to the
websites:
Chicago Job Resource and
First Job Resource.
Career Coach Institute - Want to become a
CERTIFIED career coach?
CCI has just unveiled an entirely new format for our career coach training, combining our one-of-a-kind self-paced core training, tele-classes,
and mentor coaching into a blended learning approach designed to fit your
changing needs.
Home | About | Links | Privacy | Search
