First Steps

• Budget Time, Energy & Money
  An active job search requires budgeting time, energy, AND money. If you're really serious about finding a job, reserve time in your schedule to focus on it. Make your job search a priority. Identify first steps and do something constructive every day. You may also need to spend a little cash here and there, on anything from an interview suit to lodging and travel. If you need assistance with covering the cost of these job search-related expenses, CDC has help. Through a generous gift from the May Company, parent company of Lord & Taylor, current matriculated Binghamton students can apply for a short-term loan of up to $300. For more information about the Career Advancement Program (CAP), review the CAP Quick Reference Guide or visit the CDC to speak with a counselor.
  
  
• Evaluate Your Personal Situation
  Your level of interest in a particular position will depend on your circumstances. You may be really excited about one position because the job description sounds great. Another position may sound attractive because you're concerned about school loans or other debt. Different jobs sound viable for different reasons. Remember this is a beginning and not the last job you'll ever have.

  While it is important to identify your wants and needs, it is also important to prioritize your most pressing needs or non-negotiable variables. For example, sometimes job seekers limit the geographic parameters of their job search too quickly. Remember that the larger the geographic area one considers, the greater the number of openings one may find.

• Prepare Effective Job Search Documents
  A resume that highlights education, experience and skills relevant to the job and a cover letter that is individually prepared and geared for that specific employer. It should clearly indicate the type of position you seek. In your letter point out particularly relevant aspects of your background that equip you to perform the work you're seeking. This approach is most productive when you know that the organization has openings consistent with your education, professional objectives, skills and experience. The letters and resumes that present candidates most effectively and set the stage comfortably for interviews are those prepared by candidates themselves.

  Use CDC's scheduled programs, Optimal Resume and CDC's resume/cover letter review service to assist you in preparing effective documents.

  Helpful resources for job search documents:
  E-mail Etiquette: A Quick Guide to Writing a Professional E-mail
  To Thank or Not to Thank
  Cover Letter Rubric