Cleveland State University
Career Services Center
2121 Euclid Avenue
Rhodes Tower West 280
Cleveland, OH 44115-2214
Campus Location
Rhodes Tower West 280
Office Hours
Monday - Friday
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Phone: 216.687.2233
Fax: 216.687.9313
careers@csuohio.edu
Web Content Contact
John Scanlan
j.scanlan@csuohio.edu
216.687.2233
Job Search Approaches
Finding meaningful, career-related employment can seem like an overwhelming
task. With the effects of recessions, downsizing, reorganizing, and
technology taking over many administrative tasks, there is a scarcity
of true entry-level positions. More than ever, transitioning from school
to the workforce requires long term planning and a clear understanding
of what you want to do and the environment in which you want to work.
The notion of career planning has been around for years, but it is now
considered a basic life skill needed to navigate self-sufficiently through
the many changes typical of the average career. The job search process
is something that everyone will pass through and revisit throughout
their career.
Consider the methods below and apply them to your life to develop your
own job search strategy to find work you really want in order to have
the kind of life you want to live.
Job search methods include:
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Self exploration- by developing a clear understanding of your interests, values, skills and workplace preferences, you will have criteria with which to select or reject career opportunities when they arise.
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Resume and Cover Letter Development
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Networking
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Professional Organizations
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Focus on Transferable Skills
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Electronic Job Search Methods
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Classified ads and interviews
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Volunteering
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Part-Time Employment
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Position Targeting based upon economic concepts (For example: Based upon health care reform proposals, businesses that deal with home health care could be viable to explore in your job search.)
For career seekers, these approaches are requirements that can make a significant difference between a successful or unsuccessful job search.
Consider this: Employers report that a majority of their full-time hires are from individuals who are currently in part-time, full-time, temporary, internship, or volunteer positions with their organization. All of these types of opportunities are available through Cleveland State University’s Career Services Center. Be sure to check out the following:
In addition, internships and independent study projects can be negotiated
through many of CSU’s academic departments. Your career advisor
will be able to give you additional information on any of the programs
discussed in this section.