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Montclair State University - Center for Career Services and Community-based Learning

I need a full-time job. What should I do?

Prepare

Identify Advertised Openings

  • Go to our password instructions to reach College Central for positions listed exclusively for MSU students.
  • Attend our Fall 2008 Career Fairs. Dates to be announced shortly.
  • Go to the web sites of the organizations or firms that interest you. On-line job postings and on-line applications are becoming very plentiful.
  • Go to the web sites of professional associations in your field to find listings.
  • Use the Riley Guide to find sites specific to your professional area.
  • Use our Internet Resources to identify even more job opportunities.
  • Use the job and internship books in the Career Development library so that you can see the wide range of positions that are listed with us. You may see positions that appeal to you--even if they aren't exactly what you thought you wanted.
  • Identify and use journals in your field of interest that post job listings.
  • Use the want ads of several newspapers.
  • Attend other job fairs advertised in newspapers.
  • Use employment agencies

Identify Potential Employers

You need not wait for a position to be advertised in order to send your resumé and a great cover letter to companies and organizations. To locate potential employers in your field of interest, use the following resources and ideas:

  • Through the Center for Career Services and Community-based Learning
    1. Use the National Association of Colleges and Employers' annual directories listing employers who expect to be hiring in different fields.
    2. Use other occupational directories available in the blue section of the Career Library.
    3. Visit the web sites of companies/organizations that interest you. Use our Internet Resources page to find really useful sites.
  • On your own
    1. Network, network, network. Create a list of everyone you know. Ask them if they know anyone you might talk to. Do this - it works - often better than formal ways of job hunting, since people like to hire people they know.
    2. Find a listserv, (e mail discussion group) within your profession.
    3. Use in-house postings. (Work as a temp so that you can see available positions or get your employed friends to look at listings of available jobs within their organizations.)
    4. Read professional journals and newspapers in your field.
      • Determine trends. Find out who's leaving, who's been promoted, and which organizations are growing. Send your resumé to those organizations where you believe new people will be hired.
      • Write letters asking for advice to people who have written articles you like.
    5. Learn about....