Job Skills

Personal Brand Management

Placement Tool

This relatively new term for marketing yourself and your career as a brand. It is sometimes defined as, "the ongoing process of establishing a prescribed image or impression in the mind of others about an individual, group or organization," and promotes considering all the ways you interact with others and actively influencing the impression you leave.

Resume Writing

There are a million resume styles for a variety of careers.  Here are some guidelines for helping you determine how best to present yourself, your skills and accomplishments in a resume and cover letter.

LinkedIn

A LinkedIn profile is a must for all job seekers and students since recruiters and hiring managers all use it.  These resources explain how to create a memorable profile and how to use it for your job search.

  • The Career Development Center has handouts & presentations to help you create a LinkedIn profile then use it for networking.  See Getting Linked In with LinkedIn and I've Got a LinkedIn Profile, Now What?
  • Tips for improving your LinkedIn profile.  "10 Mistakes that are Killing Your LinkedIn Profile"

Networking

Strong networking skills are key to a successful job search.  Like the rest of the skills listed here it's a skill that will have lifelong benefits.  The article How to Network the Right Way describes the steps to follow.  Two additional articles 30 Brilliant Conversation Starters and Non Awkward Ways to Start and End a Conversation will help you start conversations in a variety of settings.

Interview Skills

Prepare for the variety of interview questions you may get and the many interview formats being used today.

  • Recruiters and hiring managers frequently ask these Behavioral Questions to understand how you approach problems and communicate your ideas. Have your answers ready.
  • The STAR technique is an effective tool for answering interview questions.  Google has several articles on how it works including How to Use the STAR Technique to Ace Your Next Job Interview 
  • Phone Interview handout from the Career Center
  • Interview Skills slide deck from the Career Center's workshop
  • Career Center's On-Campus Interview Program workshop

Professional Attire

Tips for how to dress for the interview and on the job.

Salary Negotiation

Be prepared before you interview. Know the average salary for a position in your area, how much you're worth and how to negotiate perks or other benefits.

  • 10 Commandments of Salary Negotiation by Jack Chapman is a series of ten short essays that will help you understand how to negotiate and what questions to ask yourself about the deal you're being offered.
  • Salary & Benefits Negotiation handout from the Career Center
  • Staffing Agency Robert Half posts Salary Guides for various business roles

More Resources and Experts

The Internet is filled with resources for managing your professional life.  These sites can help you stay current with business and leadership trends.