Introduction

Valuable Workplace Skills

Over the course of your life span, you will develop many different skills and abilities. Before diving headfirst into your job search, you will want to know what skills you have and how to describe them. This will help you to understand exactly what you have to offer employers as well as help with teaching valuable networking skills. This will all serve to expand the information on your resume and cover letter and help provide you with an advantage over others seeking the same role. Some of these skills you will have learned from navigating everyday life situations and some will be learned more purposefully through education, training, work, and volunteer experiences.

There are two main types of skills:

• Hard skills (also known as technical skills) – These are specific to your industry and the type of jobs to which you are applying. They are easily quantifiable and objective abilities that you have learned and perhaps have mastered.
• Soft skills (also known as transferable skills) – These are more general and considered essential to succeed in any job or industry. You develop and utilize these skills through a variety of experiences and everyday tasks. They pertain to the way you relate to people, the way you think, or the ways in which you behave.

Employers want individuals with the necessary hard and soft skills to do the job well and adapt to changes in the workplace. Soft skills may be especially in demand today because employers are generally equipped to train new employees in a hard skill—by training them to use new computer software, for instance—but it’s much more difficult to teach an employee a soft skill such as developing rapport with coworkers or knowing how to manage conflict. An employer might prefer to hire an inexperienced worker that pays close attention to details rather than an experienced worker that may potentially cause problems on a work team.

Consulting occupational descriptions can allow you to identify the skills you possess and those you would like to develop further. In addition to the occupations listed in Chapter 3, the following resources can help you brainstorm:

• Occupational Outlook Handbook
• O*NET Online
• Career OneStop

Gaining New Skills

Many employers value experience as much as they do education. Internships and similar fieldwork allow you to use what you’ve learned and, sometimes more importantly, see how things work “in the real world.” These experiences drive you to communicate with others in your field and help you understand the day-to-day challenges and opportunities of people working in similar areas. Even if the internship is not at a company or organization directly in your field of study, you’ll focus on gaining transferable skills that you can apply later on.

Depending on your field of study and degree requirements, you might pursue a traditional internship or another type of training experience. Note the differences between the following types:

• Internship – A period of work experience in a professional organization, in which participants (interns) are exposed to and perform some of the tasks of actual employees. Internships are usually a relatively high commitment and may be paid and/or result in college credit.
• Externship/Job Shadowing – Usually a lower-commitment experience and shorter than internships. Participants observe work activities and perhaps undertake small projects.
• Apprenticeship – A defined period of on-the-job training in which the student is formally doing the job and learning specific skills. Unlike most internships, apprenticeships are usually formal requirements to attain a license or gain employment in skilled trades, and they are growing in use in healthcare.
• Clinicals, Student Teaching, and Related Experiences – Healthcare and other fields often have specific requirements for clinicals (learning experience in healthcare facilities) or student teaching. These are often components of the major and are required for both graduation and licensure.
• Service Learning – Students learn educational standards by tackling real-life problems in their community. Involvement could be hands-on, such as working in a homeless shelter. Students could also tackle broad issues in an indirect manner, such as by solving a local environmental problem.
• Undergraduate Research – Even as an undergrad, you may find opportunities to partake in actual research in your field of study. Colleges often have strict guidelines on types and levels of participation, and you will likely need to apply. The benefits include firsthand knowledge of a core academic activity and exposure to more people in your field.
• Related Employment – It may be possible to get a regular, low-level paying job directly in your field of study or in a related place of work. While it’s not essential, simply being around the profession will better inform and prepare you.

If you do seek an internship or related activity, be aware that they can be very competitive. Work with your academic or career advisors to start the process early and put yourself in the best position to get a position. Consider all of the application components, including essays, portfolio items, and letters of recommendation; all of these may take time to generate. If possible, pursue multiple opportunities to increase your chances.

Volunteering

You can gain personally satisfying and enriching experiences by becoming more involved with your college or general community. Volunteering is one way to access a profession and get a sense of whether you will enjoy it or not, even before you do an internship. Organizations, clubs, and charities often rely on college students because of their motivation, knowledge, and increasing maturity. The work can increase your skills and abilities, providing valuable experience that will lead to positive results. In certain fields, it might be the only readily accessible approach, especially if you have no prior experience. As you gain experience volunteering, spend time reflecting on and recording your experiences so that you’re better prepared to talk about them and utilize what you learned.

Planning a successful search

A successful job search will require, at the minimum, a well-crafted resume or CV. It is also never too early to begin thinking about how to write an effective cover letter, build an e-portfolio, and prepare a list of professional references.

Resumes

Since your resume is often your very first introduction to a prospective employer, your document needs to impress the hiring manager enough for them to want to meet with you in person and invite you for an interview.

A well-planned resume:

• Demonstrates your ability to organize and present ideas clearly.
• Shows your attention to detail by being free of errors.
• Provides details of your relevant experience and education credentials.
• Offers discussion points during an interview.

Anatomy of a Resume

Work histories come in a variety of forms; so do resumes. Although career experts enjoy debating which style is the best, ultimately you must consider which fits your current situation. Which style will allow you to best package your work history, and convey your unique qualifications?

• • Chronological resume – Traditional format whose principal section is the “Employment Experience” section. In the chronological resume’s “Employment Experience” section, jobs are listed in reverse chronological order (starting with the most recent positions/schools and working backward), and achievements/skills are detailed underneath each position.
  • Functional resume – Features a well-developed “Skills & Achievements” section, in which skills are organized into categories. The functional resume still includes an “Employment Experience” section, but it is streamlined to include only the basic information about each position held.
  • Hybrid resume -Includes a well-developed “Skills & Achievements” section that highlights the candidate’s most important and relevant skills, but it also includes select bullets under each job in the “Employment Experience” section.

There are many reasons to choose one format over another. In brief, the chronological resume serves candidates with a long or uninterrupted work history in fields where the company worked for is of paramount importance. On the other hand, the functional resume serves candidates transitioning between fields, candidates shifting from a military to a civilian career, or candidates who have gained skills in various settings (workplace, academic, volunteer). The hybrid resume offers the best of both worlds.

In general, the length of a resume should be no longer than one or (at most) two pages (and each page should be full — no 1.5-page resumes). If your resume is on the longer side, your work history should justify the length. Some experts recommend one page per ten years of work history; while that may be extreme, it is better to cut weaker material than to add filler.

Create a strong first impression by keeping the format simple and professional. Use 11- or 12-point font size and web-friendly fonts. Avoid using graphics, multiple styles of bullets and fonts, tables, and columns, and ensure that your formatting is consistent throughout.

Above all else, demonstrate your attention to detail by being free of grammar and spelling errors. Proofread your resume – do not rely solely on spellcheck. If possible, have a trusted friend or family member read over your resume to catch any remaining errors.

Describing Your Accomplishments

When it comes to writing your resume, it’s extremely important for you to be able to describe your accomplishments in order to set you apart from your competition. Clearly indicate and provide details of relevant experience, qualifications, and education credentials. The employer needs to be able to find the essential information in a short period of time, as often in the first step of the selection process resumes are read or scanned in only 30-60 seconds. Use keywords from the job posting and occupation-specific language/terminology.

If you haven’t had a chance to brainstorm situations from your previous or current experience where you’ve performed exceptionally well, consider the following questions to get you thinking:

• Have you received praise from managers, supervisors, instructors, or clients?
• Have you ever been assigned a task that you could do better than others?
• Have you ever been asked to train anyone?
• How did you distinguish yourself or set yourself apart in your last job? What did you do to show your initiative?
• When did you go above and beyond your job duties to complete a task?
• Have you ever been promoted, recognized, awarded, or thanked by your coworkers?

Starting each sentence with a strong action verb will strengthen your writing and provide a clearer, more interesting picture of what you have done. Add value, provide tangible evidence, and increase credibility by including numbers, statistics, percentages, or figures when describing your experiences. The more you can present your skills and achievements in detail, especially quantifiable detail, the more authoritative you will sound. This means including references to technologies and equipment you have used, types of documents you have produced, procedures you have followed, languages you speak, technical languages you know, and so on.

Curricula Vitae

Some positions may request that you submit a CV. CVs are similar to resumes in their general form and function. Both provide a comprehensive overview of the applicant’s relevant credentials for a specific position. Additionally, both need to be updated regularly throughout the applicant’s career and adapted to specific audiences and contexts. However, CVs are distinct from resumes in several important respects (Table 4.1).

Like a resume, you will want to provide details about your education, career history, and relevant volunteer experience on your CV. However, a CV does not add task descriptors to any of these positions or accomplishments. This is partially because there is a more common understanding as to what each one entails between the applicant and the audience since they are all part of the same professional community. Also, consider including the following information:

• Publications and presentations – State your publications in the same format that they would appear in a journal. Also, include any posters or presentations that you have produced from any research projects.
• Professional and society memberships – Include positions you have been elected into. Leave off memberships you pay a subscription fee to join.
• Management and leadership – These skills are vital in the health field, and they can be highlighted through clear examples either medically or nonmedically related. Examples include positions on committees, supervising juniors, and organizing events.

Cover Letter

Your cover letter should always accompany your resume or CV, and emphasize, expand, and complement several key points related to the employer’s needs. It should encourage the employer to want to read through your resume or CV and persuade them to meet with you to further explore your qualifications.

When you begin drafting a cover letter, read through the “About Us” page on the company’s website, its mission statement, and social media sites to get more information and insight into the company before you start writing. This is also good preparation for the common questions that will often be asked, such as: “What do you know about our company/organization and why do you want to work for us?” Employers want to see you demonstrate your knowledge of the company, show how you could benefit their team, and provide compelling reasons why you would like to work for them. Emphasize and expand on several key points related to the employer’s needs and highlight asset points, such as the ability to work flex hours or willingness to relocate. However, don’t duplicate your resume or CV. Avoid presenting information not covered in the resume, but at the same time do not restate your resume or CV word for word. Rather, summarize your most relevant skills and experiences as they relate to the employer’s needs.

Be sure to pay attention to the application instructions. Some require you to include a job number in your cover letter, while others specify the preferred file format for your document. Furthermore, there are some trend-setting companies that are challenging the more conventional cover letter formats. Should you be applying to these companies, make sure to closely read the instructions that are provided on the job posting and write your cover letter accordingly. Unless instructed otherwise, a three to four-paragraph, one-page cover letter is perfectly acceptable. Keep in mind that employers receive many applications, so a concise and focused cover letter is more likely to be read.

Finally, have a second set of eyes read through your cover letter for mistakes. One grammatical error may mean that your application will not be considered. Also, if you tend to build off of previously saved cover letters, ensure that you have changed all the pertinent information before sending. Submitting a cover letter with the wrong date or employer name on the application may cause an employer to have a negative first impression.

References

A reference is a person who can vouch for your skills, knowledge, and experience as they relate to the jobs you apply for. Employers often check applicant references in order to verify statements you made in your resume or interview. Speaking with people who are familiar with your work can provide reassurance to the employer about your past responsibilities, work ethic, professional behavior, skills, and dependability. Before you begin applying for positions, make a list of individuals that can serve as your references. Typically, candidates provide three or four references, but some positions may call for more. When thinking of people to serve as a reference, you might select work-related, professional, academic, or personal contacts (Table 4.2).

Choose your references strategically. Think of those that would speak positively about your experience, knowledge, interaction, personality, and work habits. Be confident that your references will recommend you to others without any reservations. If you have any hesitation that someone wouldn’t speak well of you, move on to your next option.

If you don’t have any references, get some! Engage in volunteering opportunities, get a part-time job, or consider participating in fundraising activities in the community to develop professional contacts who may serve as a reference.

The Timeline of Asking for and Updating Professional References

Before applying: Ask permission before listing an individual as a reference and confirm their most updated contact information.

During the application process: An employer may ask for your list of references at any point during the hiring process. Once you have submitted your list of references to an employer, let your references know so that they can expect to be contacted (Indeed, 2022).

After the hiring decision is made: Whether you are successful or not in getting the job, always take the time to thank your references. This will help you to maintain a positive relationship with your references and will allow you to continue using them as your reference in the future.

If you are applying for an opportunity that requires a letter of recommendation (LOR), such as graduate school or an internship, it is best practice to contact your references well in advance of when the letter is due. Review the application guidelines to understand when your application materials will need to be submitted and prepare to contact your references at least one to three months in advance of that date (Peña et al., 2022). Beginning the process early gives your contacts plenty of time to write a strong letter for you, and it also allows you the opportunity to contact other people to serve as a reference for you if necessary.

E-Portfolios

An e-portfolio provides an opportunity for job seekers to present their skills and talents in a very tangible manner. It allows the job seeker to provide a basic resume or CV containing links to projects, assignments, videos, or social media sites to provide a comprehensive overview of their skills and personality for prospective employers.

You may be able to create an e-portfolio directly through your college or university’s learning management system (such as Canvas or Blackboard). Services like Portfolium integrate with the learning management system, allowing you to import your coursework submissions into a portfolio that you can share with employers or network connections. You can also create an e-portfolio using free website builders like Wix, Squarespace, Weebly, and WordPress. These sites offer customizable templates that you can adapt to your needs. Focus on keeping your portfolio relevant to your career goals; selectively choose items from your portfolio to strategically strengthen your points related to the job you’re interviewing for. Ensure that your documents are neat and organized. A visually appealing and well-organized web layout will draw the attention of the reader.

Your portfolio should be maintained over the course of your education and career. Make it a point to update it on a regular basis, and you will be prepared to showcase your skills whenever the next opportunity presents itself.

Finding Your next opportunity

While searching for a job lead or other opportunity to advance your career, it is best to employ a range of search strategies. These can include networking, joining professional organizations and alumni groups, holding informational interviews, attending career fairs, and using job search engines.

Networking

Networking refers to building and maintaining relationships so that you can connect to career opportunities. By building professional connections and cultivating mutually beneficial relationships, you can exchange valuable advice, information, referrals, and support.

There is really no better place to start than with the people in your life that already know you. Develop a broad list of contacts including family, friends, neighbors, classmates, professors, current and previous coworkers and managers, and people you have met through various extracurricular, social, religious, and business activities. After you’ve developed your list, spend time talking to the people in your network and inform them that you are looking for work and let them know what kind of work you are looking for. Help your network, too! Share any contacts, advice, or job leads that would be of interest to them.

Social media platforms can also help you grow your professional connections; however, an online social network is somewhat different than a personal network. Though you may have hundreds of contacts or followers in your social network, the degree to which you know each other will be limited by how deep a relationship you have developed with them. You will most likely not know most of your followers, be they on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Reddit, Twitter, or Facebook. When thinking strategically about your career goals, you can develop professional profiles and cultivate your relationships with key followers over time.

utilizing professional organizations and alumni groups

Joining a professional association and attending its meetings and conferences will give you ample opportunities to network with employers and their recruiting agents. You should consider joining a professional association while you are a student so as to benefit from student membership and conference rates. Networking during association meetings and participating in committees will help you to establish your reputation as a professional and meet potential employers in the process.

Your college is also likely to have a resource that goes far beyond the campus itself—the alumni association. College alumni often maintain a relationship with the school and with their fellow graduates. Just by attending the same college, you have something in common with them. You chose the same place, maybe for similar reasons, and you might be having similar experiences. Often, alumni are eager to help current students by offering their professional insights and making career connections. You can find out about alumni events on your campus website, at the career center, and in the alumni department. These events can be fun and beneficial to attend, especially those involving networking opportunities. Note that specific departments or campus organizations may have their own alumni groups, whether formal or informal. Try to find former students who majored in your field or who have a job similar to the one you’d like one day. Remember, members of alumni organizations make a choice to be involved; they want to be there. It’s very likely they’ll be interested in offering you some help, mentoring, or even introductions to the right people.

Holding informational interviews

An informational interview is a conversation with someone who works in your field of interest. It can be conducted in person, virtually, or by phone. The goal is to get current information that can help you better express yourself in applications and interviews and make informed career choices. An informational interview is not about asking for a job. Instead, it is a way to learn more by tapping into someone else’s experience.

Conducting informational interviews will help you:

• Learn more about the career paths that interest you
• Gather valuable, industry-specific information
• Gain insider tips on the education, skills, and experience needed in your target career
• Market yourself during job searches
• Build contacts in your target industry or workplace

To get started, do some research on your contact’s position and organization. Knowing what you are after shows determination, initiative, and that you aren’t intending to waste anyone’s time. Then, you’ll want to prepare between three and eight meaningful questions to ask so that you can collect useful information. When you hold your interview, have your prepared questions with you, be ready to take notes, and keep to the agreed time limit. After your interview, follow up with a concise thank you message that mentions something you learned, something that you’ve done so far, and something you will do next to act on your contact’s suggestions.

attending career fairs

A career fair is normally when many employers gather at the same venue to promote their organizations with the intention of recruiting candidates. An employer information session is characteristically when one employer delivers a presentation about their organization to a group of interested candidates; this is often followed by a question and answer period, a networking session, or a brief interview. Employers are prepared to speak with you directly about your experience and skills and it becomes the perfect opportunity to not only network but also set yourself apart from your competition. However, as you will be one of many attendees, the pace may be very quick, so understand that you won’t have a lot of time with each employer.

You should also attend career fairs and sign up for interviews with visiting recruiters. Because colleges are a great resource for the emerging labor pool, they have tight connections with industry partners. When company recruiters come to your college, be there to ask them about their employment opportunities. Recruiters aren’t interested in students who aren’t interested in them, so do your homework and arrive prepared to ask intelligent questions and make a good impression.

using job search engines

As many employers post opportunities online, using job search engines should be one part of your search strategy. A search for jobs related to the career you’re training for may yield depressingly few hits if you use just one or two websites. If so, be prepared to use all of them and widen your search area to neighboring towns or cities. Even if you aren’t seriously considering moving for a job—if your strategy is just to wait until relevant jobs arise closer to home—at least getting a sense of what’s out there elsewhere is an important exercise.

Beyond the popular search engines like Monster or Indeed, also seek out the following:

• Job search engines specific to your sector or field
• Professional association sites specific to your field
• Company/organization websites (look for their Careers page)
• Professional networking sites such as LinkedIn

maintaining momentum

Finding a job or other career opportunity can be a time-consuming, emotionally challenging experience. Maintain your momentum and put your skills to use by setting goals, creating structure, and staying organized during your search.

Set Goals

Aim to accomplish something related to different job-searching efforts each day and each week. For example, “I will aim to submit two online job applications per day” or “I will make two to four new connections on LinkedIn each week.” Setting and meeting daily goals will help you to believe that you are capable of finding a job and breaking down tasks will help you feel less overwhelmed.

Create Structure

Create a job search routine by scheduling specific times during your day or week that are dedicated specifically to searching for work. You should focus on the hours of the day when you have the most energy and the least distractions. While you do want to commit yourself to a reasonable block of time, avoid staring at the computer for too long or you may notice your productivity declining.

Stay Organized

Document your job search efforts as you go. Write down the jobs you’ve applied to and the dates on which you applied, and save a print or electronic copy of the job postings in case you need to refer to them in the future. Similarly, when attending job fairs or networking events, gather the names and contact information of those you spoke with. It is often helpful to use a spreadsheet to track the details of all of the information so that you can follow up. Not only is it good as a point of reference, but it creates a level of accountability. By tracking your efforts, you will notice that you’ve done a lot of work and this will make you feel proud and fuel your motivation. On the other hand, it might also give you an indication that you haven’t been doing as much as productive as you had hoped and will help you get back on track.

chapter 4 Test Yourself

References and Attributions

Valuable Workplace Skills

“Assess” in Be the Boss of Your Career: A Complete Guide for Students & Grads by Lindsay Bortot and Employment Support Centre, Algonquin College. Published by Algonquin College under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. Lightly edited for clarity and brevity.

“Chapter 6: Professional Skill Building” in Blueprint for Success in College: Career Decision Making by Dave Dillon. Published by Rebus Community under a CC BY 4.0 license. Lightly edited for clarity.

Gaining New Skills

“Your Map to Success: The Career Planning Cycle” in College Success by Amy Baldwin. Published by OpenStax under a CC BY 4.0 license. Lightly edited for clarity, brevity, and consistency with its new context. Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/college-success/pages/1-introduction

Volunteering

“Your Map to Success: The Career Planning Cycle” in College Success by Amy Baldwin. Published by OpenStax under a CC BY 4.0 license. Lightly edited for clarity, brevity, and consistency with its new context. Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/college-success/pages/1-introduction

Planning a Successful Search

Resumes

“Resume” in Be the Boss of Your Career: A Complete Guide for Students & Grads by Lindsay Bortot and Employment Support Centre, Algonquin College. Published by Algonquin College under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. Lightly edited for clarity, brevity, and flow.

Anatomy of a Resume

“Resume Formats” by Megan Savage, Portland Community College. Published in WTNG 311: Technical Writing under a CC BY 4.0 license. Content transformed into bullet list format and lightly edited for flow and brevity.

“Resume Tips” in Be the Boss of Your Career: A Complete Guide for Students & Grads by Lindsay Bortot and Employment Support Centre, Algonquin College. Published by Algonquin College under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. Lightly edited for brevity and flow.

Common Resume Sections

“Resume Sections and Guideline” by Megan Savage, Portland Community College. Published in WTNG 311: Technical Writing under a CC BY 4.0 license. Lightly edited for brevity and clarity.

Describing Your Accomplishments

The following sources were combined:

• “Resume Writing Essentials” in Be the Boss of Your Career: A Complete Guide for Students & Grads by Lindsay Bortot and Employment Support Centre, Algonquin College. Published by Algonquin College under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. Lightly edited for brevity and flow.
• “Resume Tips” in Be the Boss of Your Career: A Complete Guide for Students & Grads by Lindsay Bortot and Employment Support Centre, Algonquin College. Published by Algonquin College under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. Lightly edited for brevity and flow.
• “Resume Sections and Guideline” by Megan Savage, Portland Community College. Published in WTNG 311: Technical Writing under a CC BY 4.0 license. Lightly edited for brevity and to be relevant to the audience.

Curricula Vitae

“Curricula Vitae (CVs)” by Matt McKinney. Published in Howdy or Hello? Technical and Professional Communication under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. Lightly edited for brevity and flow; some content edited to be adapted to table format.

“How to Write a Medical CV” by Riaz Agha, Katharine Whitehurst, Daniyal Jafree, Yadsan Devabalan, Kiron Koshy, and Buket Gundogan. Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of IJS Publishing Group Ltd. in International Journal of Surgery: Oncology under a CC BY 4.0 license. Lightly edited for brevity and to be relevant to the audience.

Cover Letter

“Cover Letter” in Be the Boss of Your Career: A Complete Guide for Students & Grads by Lindsay Bortot and Employment Support Centre, Algonquin College. Published by Algonquin College under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. Lightly edited for brevity and flow.

“Cover Letter Tips” in Be the Boss of Your Career: A Complete Guide for Students & Grads by Lindsay Bortot and Employment Support Centre, Algonquin College. Published by Algonquin College under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. Bulleted list entries combined and lightly edited for brevity and flow.

To Write or Not Write a Cover Letter, That is the Question

The following sources were combined:

• “Cover Letter” in Be the Boss of Your Career: A Complete Guide for Students & Grads by Lindsay Bortot and Employment Support Centre, Algonquin College. Published by Algonquin College under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. Lightly edited for clarity.
• “Cover Letters” in Communication at Work by Jordan Smith. Published under a CC BY 4.0 license. Lightly edited for tone and flow.

References

The following sources were combined:

• “Finishing Touches” in Career and Workforce Readiness by Careerspace – Trent University. Published under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license. Lightly edited for brevity.
• “References” by CareerForce. Published by the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) under a CC BY 4.0 license. Lightly edited for brevity; some content transformed into table format.

“Reference Tips” and “Other Considerations” in Be the Boss of Your Career: A Complete Guide for Students & Grads by Lindsay Bortot and Employment Support Centre, Algonquin College. Published by Algonquin College under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. Lightly edited for brevity; bulleted entries combined and edited for flow.

The Timeline of Asking for and Updating Professional References

“Reference Tips” in Be the Boss of Your Career: A Complete Guide for Students & Grads by Lindsay Bortot and Employment Support Centre, Algonquin College. Published by Algonquin College under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. Lightly edited for brevity.

Indeed Editorial Team. (2022, June 24). Do employers check references? (and other FAQs). Indeed. https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/finding-a-job/do-employers-check-references

Peña, C., Steele, L. J., Karhson, D. S., Ned, J. T., Botham, C. M., & Stratton, M. B. (2022). Ten simple rules for navigating the reference letter seeking process. PLoS Computational Biology, 18(5), e1010102. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pcbi.1010102.

E-Portfolios

The following sources were combined:

• “The Online Application Process” in Technical Writing Essentials by Robin L. Potter and Tricia Hylton, adapted from Technical Writing Essentials by Suzan Last. Some content was partially adapted from Tom Bartsiokas’ and Tricia Hylton’s Communicating@Work (2019), which was adapted from Jordan Smith’s original Business Communication for Success (2015). Published by the University of Victoria under a CC BY 4.0 license. Lightly edited for brevity and flow.
• “Portfolio Tips for Print and Digital” in Be the Boss of Your Career: A Complete Guide for Students & Grads by Lindsay Bortot and Employment Support Centre, Algonquin College. Published by Algonquin College under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. Lightly edited for brevity and flow.

Finding Your Next Opportunity

Networking

“What is Networking?” in Career and Workforce Readiness by Careerspace – Trent University. Published under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license.

“Method 1: Personal & Professional Networks” in Be the Boss of Your Career: A Complete Guide for Students & Grads by Lindsay Bortot and Employment Support Centre, Algonquin College. Published by Algonquin College under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. Lightly edited for brevity and flow.

“Finding a Job” in Technical Writing Essentials by Robin L. Potter and Tricia Hylton. Some content was partially adapted from Tom Bartsiokas’ and Tricia Hylton’s Communicating@Work (2019), which was adapted from Jordan Smith’s original Business Communication for Success (2015). Some content has been adapted from a chapter on preparing to apply for work by Megan Savage in Technical Writing (n.d.). Published by the University of Victoria under a CC BY 4.0 license. Lightly edited for brevity and flow; revised and updated list of social media platform examples.

Utilizing Professional Organizations and Alumni Groups

“Finding a Job” in Technical Writing Essentials by Robin L. Potter and Tricia Hylton. Some content was partially adapted from Tom Bartsiokas’ and Tricia Hylton’s Communicating@Work (2019), which was adapted from Jordan Smith’s original Business Communication for Success (2015). Some content has been adapted from a chapter on preparing to apply for work by Megan Savage in Technical Writing (n.d.). Published by the University of Victoria under a CC BY 4.0 license. Lightly edited for brevity.

“Your Map to Succes: The Career Planning Cycle” in College Success by Amy Baldwin. Published by OpenStax under a CC BY 4.0 license. Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/college-success/pages/1-introduction

Holding Informational Interviews

“Targeted Networking” in Career and Workforce Readiness by Careerspace – Trent University. Published under a CC BY-NC 4.0 license. Content from H5P asset under the section “Asking and preparing for an informational interview” was edited for brevity and flow and converted to paragraph format.

Attending Career Fairs

“Method 5: Career Related Fairs & Events” in Be the Boss of Your Career: A Complete Guide for Students & Grads by Lindsay Bortot and Employment Support Centre, Algonquin College. Published by Algonquin College under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. Lightly edited for brevity.

“Finding a Job” in Technical Writing Essentials by Robin L. Potter and Tricia Hylton. Some content was partially adapted from Tom Bartsiokas’ and Tricia Hylton’s Communicating@Work (2019), which was adapted from Jordan Smith’s original Business Communication for Success (2015). Some content has been adapted from a chapter on preparing to apply for work by Megan Savage in Technical Writing (n.d.). Published by the University of Victoria under a CC BY 4.0 license. Lightly edited for brevity and flow; revised and updated list of social media platform examples. Lightly edited for brevity.

Using Job Search Engines

“The Job Search” in Communication at Work by Jordan Smith. Published under a CC BY 4.0 license. Edited for brevity, flow, and to be relevant to the audience.

Maintaining Momentum

“Managing Your Job Search” in Be the Boss of Your Career: A Complete Guide for Students & Grads by Lindsay Bortot and Employment Support Centre, Algonquin College. Published by Algonquin College under a CC BY-NC-SA 4.0 license. Content edited and reorganized for flow, brevity, and tone.