Be Proactive: Supercharge Your Job Search in One Day
No matter where you are in your career, it is important to be proactive, to fill a gap, to meet unmet needs. Here’s an example of what I mean.
At the end of the spring semester, a former student called me up and shared with me her frustration over not being able to find a job in her major of human resources—or even an unpaid internship. She started to cry and, after reassuring her she would find something, we talked about specific ways she could move forward.
That and other phone calls from students past and present inspired me to propose teaching a class during the summer to help alumni and students in their job searches. The Chair of the Management Department at Zicklin School of Business at Baruch College considered the idea a good one and got the needed approvals.
The class went very, very well. Everyone was engaged, open, and willing to trust each other. They participated in mock interviews, role playing the interviewer or potential client. They networked with each other and honed their elevator speeches. Resumes were reviewed as were rules of etiquette in the job search process.
What I did was fill the need for a way students could actively work on their job search. The experience was a win-win-win: I won because my idea for a class was supported; the students won because they learned practical career skills; and the Management Department won because they met their students’ needs.
On Saturday, October 17, the Management Dept. will once again offer “Supercharge Your Job Search.” During one day, we will cover the topics you need to start your job search and take the next step in getting a job or positioning yourself to change careers.
Baruch alumni and students can register and pay for the class by calling Linda Moore at 646-312-3625.
Here’s a couple of comments from two who attended:
—Sharing and doing exercises pushed me to realize the important of networking and maintaining relationships.
—After a role-playing exercise, I got instant feedback from the class members and instructor on my interviewing skills.
Remember to think about ways that you can be proactive to move forward in your career search.