Top 10 Career Search Strategies for MSIM Students
The following Top 10 list includes career search actions and tips for success. The career search is a multi-phase process. While it may be linear, it's often not. Career mobility can be enhanced by accessing a wide variety of resources. The list below is meant to be a guide through this process.
- Visit UW's Center for Career Services
- Network, network, network
- Browse, research, and explore the possibilities
- Revise, review and update your résumé or curriculum vitae
- Create a portfolio
- Subscribe to the iprojobs email list
- Practice interview strategies
- Contact recruiters
- Negotiate salary and benefits
- Pursue hobbies and interests
Join HuskyJobs, CCS's online jobs listing program.
Walk-in for a 15-minute appointment or schedule a one-hour appointment with a counselor by phoning 206-543-0535, or dropping by the Center.
Check their calendar regularly for major events such as Career Week, career fairs or resume workshops.
Note: Most CCS services are free to students and available for a competitive fee to alumni.
2. Network, network, network
Join a professional organization: ACM, AIS, AMIA, ASIS&T, DMA-PS
IACIS, IRMA, INFORMS, AITP, IAMOT, AIIM, SCIP, SIM, and WT.
Talk to your colleagues in the MSIM program.
Create a database of networking contacts - including fields such as:
name, date, organization, address, phone, email, where you met, date thank you note sent (if applicable), and other pertinent information.
Explore networking resources
- People Power: 12 Power Principles to Enrich Your Business, Career & Personal
- Network, by Donna Fisher
- Breakthrough Networking: Building Relationships that Last by Lillian D. Bjorseth;
- Networlding: Building Relationships and Opportunities for Success, by
- Melissa Giovagnoli and Jocelyn Carter-Miller; and
- The Secrets of Savvy Networking: How to Make the Best Connections for
- Business and Personal Success, by Susan RoAne
Volunteer for Community Service
3. Browse, research and explore options
Investigate web resources
Monster.com, Career Builder, Jobs.com, Dice.com (IT job board), Computer Jobs, FlipDog.com, the Wall Street Journal's Career Journal, The Riley Guide, MSN Careers, The Vault from Insider Career Network, Sapphire Technologies; Occupational Outlook Handbook from the U.S. Department of Labor.
Review regional and local publications
Experiment with strengths and personality tests
- Dependable Strengths workshops are offered through the UW Career Center for graduate students and alumni.
- Student Counseling Center offers career counseling, the Strong Interest Inventory and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. They provide these services for a fee. Similar tests are available at other online sites and can be found by using a search engine, such as Google.
- My Work Source website offers skill and interest testing.
- Read What Color is Your Parachute? by Dick Bolles—the best-selling job hunting book—and its companion website, JobHuntersBible.com.
4. Revise, review, and update your résumé or curriculum vitae
Visit the Center for Career Services for résumé reviews and workshops.
Learn how to write a curriculum vitae.
Check out some books for résumé advice and examples.
Mention on your résumé that you are currently pursuing the MSIM and the expected date of completion.
5. Create a portfolio
A portfolio is a visual representation of your abilities, skills, capabilities, knowledge, qualities—and it represents your potential. Physically, it's a collection of things—artifacts and tangible materials—that represent work-related events in your life. The portfolio provides evidence of your potential by demonstrating what you have accomplished in the past.
For more information, visit the Career Portfolio Basics site.
Portfolio Tips:
- Start collecting now if you haven't kept items from past professional and/or academic experiences.
- Create a fluid portfolio and adjust it to each position for which you apply.
- Use your portfolio to assist in supporting your answers to interview questions.
- Bring the portfolio with you to interviews, but never leave it behind.
- Portfolios can also be put together and used via the web.
- Introduce yourself to Kate Duttro—the Grand Poobah of Portfolios in the Center for Career Services.
- Explore Catalyst's My Portfolio, a tool that allows students to collect, annotate, arrange, and display online a variety of digital "artifacts" that illustrate their accomplishments.
This list is for professional job postings (opportunities that are available to students upon graduation). This is an open list, meaning that anyone may subscribe and post messages to iprojobs@u.wasington.edu.
7. Practice interview strategies
Research the company before going to the interview. Know what they do, where they do it, latest news, competitors, etcetera. This gives you the opportunity to prepare questions for them.
Maintain eye contact, be aware of your facial expressions, posture is important when sitting and walking, limit your gestures, and respect other's personal space as well as your own.
CareerJournal.com from the Wall Street Journal provides many articles about interview how-to's, tips, what to do before and after the interview, and knowing what questions and responses should be avoided.
Peruse some interview strategy books.
8. Contact Recruiters
Research recruiters through word of mouth and reputable websites. Styles vary dramatically and you will want to find someone who matches your needs.
Note: many recruiters charge for placement services.
9.Negotiate Salary and Benefits
Don't wait until after you've aced the interview. Arrive prepared to negotiate.
Salary.com
Search for salary data and negotiation tips at the Wall Street Journal's CareerJournal.com.
Evaluating your benefits package: Things to know about what you've been offered, from Collegegrad.com.
Read Jobweb's Evaluating job offers & negotiating salary and Questions to ask to help evaluate job offers.
10. Pursue Hobbies and Interests
Reward yourself by enjoying some quality time doing something fun and relaxing.
Embrace your creativity and pizzazz through hobbies and interests to maintain an energized and positive outlook. These qualities can make you irresistible in an interview.
A hobby can lead to an unexpected and fun career path.
To further discuss career development strategies, schedule an appointment with
Kathy Wong, MSIM Academic Adviser.
Career seeking can be a time-involved process. Enjoy the journey!