FastWeb Guide to Jobs, Internships and Careers

To find a full-time position, check out online sites such as: www.monster.com. Besides job listings organized by industry, they have many resources on completing a resume, networking, upgrading your skill set, relocating, and much more.

To find a part-time job, you may create a FastWeb profile. Using your ZIP code information, FastWeb will find part-time opportunities for you and list them in the "Jobs" tab in your profile.

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Internships are placed into your scholarship results based on the information provided to us in your profile. Check under "Type" for opportunities labeled "intshp."

You can also find out whether your school is a member of MonsterTrak, a great source for internships for students. You can find out more at: www.monstertrak.com.

If you're looking for internships on your own, start with your college (or high school). Many companies actively recruit interns on college campuses. For leads, check out your academic department and your college placement center. You can also use the Web to learn more about internship opportunities at companies that interest you. Check the company's home page for internship opportunities and contact information for the human resources department.

Once you've identified a prospective intern program, you need to make contact. If you're applying to a formal internship program, request an application form and submit the required materials as soon as possible.

For more tips on ways to get on the inside track on an internship, check out the following FastWeb articles:
How to Land an Internship
Working for Free: The Benefits of Internships
Top Tips for Internship Success

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Take a variety of different classes. Don't pigeonhole yourself into one tight line of study. Branch out and take a good look around to see what interests you.

Complete a few self-assessment tests. Self-assessment tests can tell you a lot about yourself and may help you match your skills and interests with possible careers.

Develop a career inventory. What kind of organization do you want to work for? What type of environment do you prefer? How much travel do you want to do? What kind of work schedule do you prefer? Think it through on your own, or take a career and interest assessment to get your answers.

Research different careers. Browse the Bureau of Labor Statistics home page at http://www.bls.gov for detailed descriptions of different careers and statistics about the fastest growing fields.

Use your college's career center. Research materials, useful lectures, alumni contacts, self-assessment tests, interview workshops and the latest resume and career development software await you.

Do some volunteer work. Explore possible career tracks and build a strong networking base through volunteer activities. Volunteering teaches you about yourself and your world while preparing you for the future and connecting you to your community.

Join a professional association. Joining a professional association in your field of choice is a great way to tap into a career network. FastWeb's index of professional organizations can connect you to many associations.

Network. Meeting people who work in your prospective field can give you valuable insight into what life is like in that career. Gather information by gathering contacts.

Find a mentor. Part coach, part motivator, the mentor works as a guide from within the context of the work environment. The perfect mentor is someone who works well with you and who has the experience and success you seek.

Arrange some informational interviews. There's no better way to get a feel for a certain career than talking to professionals in the field. Find them through your college's career center, your school's alumni association, job fairs and professional organizations.

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What will you need on your resume?

• Contact information: Full name, phone number, school and permanent address, email address.
• Education: School, degree, date of completion, honors, special course work. If you're still in school, provide your expected date of completion.
• Experience: In addition to work history, include relevant non-professional experience, such as internships, extracurricular activities and significant volunteer work.
• Skills: List any computer systems, office equipment and software programs you are experienced with.
• Other categories: If they are relevant, include publications, awards, leadership positions or other notable achievements.

How should you organize this information?

• Chronological: To emphasize your work history, list your jobs and activities, beginning with your most recent experiences.
• Functional: To emphasize your skill sets, group your experiences under categorical headings, such as Leadership or Technology Support.

How can I improve my resume?

• Keep it brief. Try to keep your resume to one page. There are cases where a resume might be longer but one page should suffice for students and recent graduates. Write lean sentences and use bullet points to be succinct.
• Provide meaningful descriptions of your experiences. When detailing your job history, use short sentences or fragments to demonstrate your relevant experience.
• Use strong action words. For example: "developed and implemented a new filing system"; "created two new membership programs."
• Use formatting to help you out. Capitalize and use boldface, italics or underlining to help organize the information.
• Proofread. Use spellcheck, doublecheck your contact information and make sure your formatting is consistent. Ask a friend or family member to proofread it as well. Check for errors that spellcheck programs miss (i.e. there vs. their; to, too or two).
• Custom fit your resume. Revise your resume for each job application to make sure it fits the opportunity at hand.

For examples, check below:
Example #1
Example #2, etc.

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Preparation

• Learn about the company and the position. Check their Web site, use online corporate directories such as Hoovers.com or Yahoo Finance, or request information from the company's public relations department. Your school's reference librarian can help you track down all sorts of useful information, such as the company's size, history, main products and services, the names of top executives and current news stories.


• Rehearse with mock interviews. Check with your school's career planning center to see if they offer a program to help you improve your interview skills.


• Doublecheck the time and location of the interview. If it's in an area that's new to you, consult a map or take a test-run the day before to make sure you know how to get there.


• Prepare what you want to say in the interview. Think about your greatest strengths and weaknesses, your most significant work or school experiences, your future plans and your ideal job.


• Review your resume and think about how your experiences can be matched up with the job's requirements.

Interview Day

• Dress appropriately. Choose conservative clothing and keep jewelry and accessories to a minimum.


• Be punctual. Arrive a little early to allow yourself time to relax and focus.


• Bring along some basic interview tools: extra copies of your resume and a pad of paper and pen. Take notes on any interesting points or questions. Your notes will come in handy when preparing for a second interview or writing a follow-up letter.


• Be sure to listen actively throughout the interview. It's easy to spend all your time planning your answers, but remember, this is a conversation. Listening carefully helps you to respond appropriately.


• Avoid generalities and cliches ("I'm a people-person"). Give concrete examples when describing your work experience. And always be positive. Don't be critical of previous co-workers or bosses. The way you talk about your former or current boss may be seen as an indication of how you will talk about your future boss.


• Demonstrate that you have thought seriously about this career path and this company by asking intelligent questions about the position. Draw upon your research about the company, or ask about the working conditions, the chances for advancement and major projects your prospective job would entail.


• Ask your interviewers for their business cards to ensure that you have the proper contact information when you follow up.

The Follow-Up

• Afterward, send a follow-up letter. Thank the interviewer for taking the time to speak with you and let them know that you are still interested. Demonstrate your interest by describing how you could contribute to the company's future.


• Review what you've learned. What were the strongest parts of your interview? What were the weakest? Were you asked any questions you hadn't anticipated? And what did you learn about this company or career track? Even if you don't get the job, you can learn a lot from every interview.

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