Month: June 2018

Job Search Tools You Can Use This Week – Part Two

Happy Monday all!  Here it a quick list of resources and tools to help you in your job search this week:

 

  1. – Versatile PhD

Versatile PhD is the oldest and largest online social community dedicated to assisting PhDs build careers outside of academia.  Specializing in PhDs with concentrations in humanities, social sciences, and STEM, the platform provides members with the opportunity to discover interesting career paths, network and consult with the larger PhD community, and see job listings appropriate for PhDs.

Why it’s great:  Versatile PhD focuses primarily on those PhDs who are not currently seeking work in academia – the focus is on non-academic, non-faculty careers.  There are more than 85,000 members that PhDs can connect and network with, even attending local meet-ups if they would like!  This is a great way to build community and find support as you take a non-traditional path toward a career outside of the academic world.

 Where you can get it:  For OSU alumni, visit the “Job Search Resources” page of the Career Management website here:  https://www.osu.edu/alumni/services/career-management/job-search-resources/  and log in with your OSU credentials to join the site!

  1. – AlumniFire

AlumniFire is Ohio State’s exclusive online professional networking site, where members can work with one another to support each other’s professional development and growth.  As a member, you’ll have the ability to search Buckeyes based on any number of variables, including industry, location, class year, college, and more.  You can seek them out for support based on what they are “offering”, and you have the ability to offer professional development support to others as well.  AlumniFire is what I often refer to as “LinkedIn Lite” – it allows for many of the same benefits of LinkedIn, including job listings, a bulletin board for announcements, and networking opportunities.  However, it is a much smaller, more contained online platform that is exclusive to Ohio State alumni, faculty/staff, and current students.  It also has a feature that LinkedIn doesn’t – offerings

Why it’s great:  Every person who is a member of the site is required to “offer” something to the general community – general career advice, networking assistance, resume reviews, etc.  This takes some of the pressure off when reaching out to someone to obtain their assistance, because they have already “raised their hand” to help you!

Where you can get it:  http://osu.alumnifire.com

  1. – Alumni Career Connection

By virtue of being an alumnus of this great institution, you are eligible for a number of benefits through the Office of Alumni Career Management.  One of those resources is Alumni Career Connection, our alumni-exclusive job board.  With as many as 20 companies per day posting opportunities specifically seeking to hire our graduates, there are many chances to explore and obtain work, regardless of your field or point in your career transition.  There are entry-level positions available, as well as professional-level opportunities for more seasoned workers.  This is a great benefit for any of our alumni who are currently seeking.

Why it’s great:  Job opportunities exclusive to OSU alumni?  What more do I need to say?  J

Where you can get it:  https://www.osu.edu/alumni/services/career-management/alumni-career-connection.html

  1. – Career Management Webinar Library

Another addition to the wealth of resources that we have available to you through this office is our webinar library.  Here you will find more than 25 webinars hosted by either our career consultants or select distinguished alumni, on topics ranging from doing well in an interview to networking in different ways.  There are also informative sessions that cater to specific areas of interest, such as women returning to work, or defining success on your own terms.

Why it’s great:  Lots and lots of career advice, for people at any stage in their career development.

Where you can get it:  https://www.osu.edu/alumni/services/career-management/webinars.html

 

I hope that these resources are valuable to you as you work your way through your job search – whatever stage you may be at currently.  Don’t forget that you can always reach out to our office for additional assistance, by calling 1.800.635.8944 as well.

Make it a great week!

Job Search Tools You Can Use This Week – Part 1

Happy Monday all!  Here it a quick list of resources and tools to help you in your job search this week:

  1. – JobScan

JobScan.co is one of the top resources currently being used to help jobseekers here in the Office of Alumni Career Management.  JobScan is a versatile and intuitive software program that reviews your resume and compares it against the job description of your choice, reading it like an applicant tracking system (ATS).

Why it’s great:  Because most companies use an ATS in their hiring processes now, JobScan gives you an edge over other applicants by letting you see what an HR person will see when they review your resume.  This means that you can (and should) tailor it specifically to meet the needs of a given position – and JobScan walks you through exactly how to do that step-by-step.

Where you can get it:  Visit JobScan.co and create a free account to try it out today!

  1. – Canva

Canva is an easy to use and intuitive tool that allows you to create your own personalized graphics for use on social media and/or business cards.  This is an easy way to establish and maintain your personal brand, which is a huge asset whether you’re currently in the job search or simply looking to further develop yourself and your presence online.  Having graphics that are custom to you allows you to make an impression on those who interact with you online, and support a cohesive (and beautifully professional) brand image.

Why it’s great:  You can create beautiful graphics for social media and other personal marketing materials.  Plus, it is fast, free, and user-friendly, making it easy to use regardless of your level of skill.

Where you can get it:  Canva.com

  1. – My Next Move Interest Profiler

For those of you who have reached a point in your career where you are unsure about the direction that you want your career to go in, career exploration assessments are always a great option.  Most career consultant offices generally offer the Meyers-Briggs Type Indicator and Strong Interest Inventory as options to assist you in this exploration – at a cost.  Before you commit to the price of an assessment package, however, I suggest that jobseekers check out the MyNextMove Interest Profiler provided by Onet Online (a service of the US Department of Labor).  MyNextMove offers an assessment that is similar to the Strong Interest Inventory (I generally refer to it as “Strong – Lite”), and provides an interactive way to explore the career paths that are suggested by the assessment results.

Why it’s great:  It’s a free career assessment that allows you to do some in-depth exploration and get some ideas on potential paths that you might like to pursue without investing $100+ in paid testing through a career consultant.  It also connects to Onet Online, which provides you with the tools to not only explore the context of the many different career paths that are available to you, but also lets you look into salary expectations, job outlook for the next 5 years, type of education needed, and more.

Where you can get it:  https://www.mynextmove.org/explore/ip

Bonus:  https://www.onetonline.org/

 

Get started on putting these tools to work for you today, and be on the lookout later this week for Part Two of this series, where I will highlight even more great resources for your use!