Being proactive and starting your career search early is a great way to land a job or internship before the end of the school year. But it’s the end of the school year, have you found that perfect opportunity yet? If not we’re here to tell you it’s time to get going on that search. This means more than just applying for jobs online. Read on to get motivated, get organized, and learn to take a proactive approach to your job search. After picking up some tips, we’d love to hear your stories and ideas too. Post them in the comments section below. Student Profiles:

Philip Black

Name: Philip Black Year: May 2009 grad Major: General Management Company: Target Position: Executive Team Leader Location: Metro Detroit, MI Home Town:Grosse Pointe, MI 1. What did you do to be proactive in your job search? Since starting my college career at MSU, I have stayed very involved on campus. In my Freshmen year, I joined 5 different student organizations, and from there, I choose 1 one them that I best fit my personality and my career goals. In my Sophomore year, I organized a brand new organization on campus, and later grew that organization in my Junior and Senior year. Companies love to see self-initiative and drive in potential candidates, and is an excellent source of leadership examples to speak of during an interview.
2. What have you done to create your own personal “brand”? During your 30-second “info-mercial” or elevator speech, it is important to include 3 things: 1) your educational background (school, major, graduation year), 2) relevant work experiences, and 3) something unique about yourself, and probably in that order. I communicated my past work experiences in a fashion where I was able to stand above my competition. Having “just a part time job” over a summer is great! But it is more important how you communicate this to a recruiter. For example, rather than saying “I worked in a pizza place as an hourly worker just to make some money and to put on my resume”, I said “Over this past summer, I worked at a local pizza company, where I learned what it took to work with 15 other diverse employees. I also trained 2 new employees, and I learned what it took to be promoted to my current position of Manager, where I am working now during this semester.”
3. How did you find your position? During a meeting at a student organization, Target came in to present about Leadership Dimensions. At the end of the presentation, I introduced myself. The Target Executives and I chatted about the presentation, what I learned, and what could have gone better. At this time, I also handed Target my resume. At the career fair the following week, Target instantly recognized me, and signed me up for an interview. If I hadn’t spoken to the Target executives that one day during their presentation, I would not have my current position that I hold now.
4. Who or what was most helpful in your search? It is important to stay connected to a diverse group of people. Before I officially started looking for an internship or a full time position, I asked everyone I knew about companies they may have worked for, or what they have heard about certain companies. From there, I uploaded my resume to MySpartanCareer, and applied to jobs that I felt I would have passion for. After networking with a few companies, it is critical to get their name and business card. I landed an internship after my Sophomore year by simply e-mailing an employee my resume that I had met at a Company Visit.
5. What advice do you have for students who maybe haven’t been as proactive as you and are still looking for a job? It is never too early to start looking for an internship or a full time job! MySpartanCareer is available 24 hours, so even if you have 15 minutes to spare, go online and apply for a couple of jobs. If you are a freshman, start going to Career Fairs, just to get the butterflies out of your system and so you know what to expect. If you are a Sophomore, seek out other students that currently work for certain companies and ask them about the culture of that company. If you are a Junior, look for an internship that will better your resume, and even better, look to be an intern at a company you would love to work at after graduation. And if you are a senior, don’t get discouraged – one “No” doesn’t mean all “No’s”! Stay active, use the many resources a large campus has to offer, don’t lose touch with your contacts, and keep applying for jobs!

David Vejcik

Name: David Vejcik Year: May 2009 Grad Major: Supply Chain Management Company: The Hershey Company Position: Supply Chain Associate (Rotational Development Program) Location: Hershey, PA Home Town:Dearborn Heights, MI 1. What did you do to be proactive in your job search? I used all of the resources I had available to me. This includes the Lear Center, MySpartanCareer, Career Fairs, my network and also the network of my friends. With opportunities that arose through these channels I was able to maintain contact with employers after first interviews or conversations. This includes sending follow up “thank you” emails, and also emails to show continued interest in the company. I feel it is always important to show employers that you are grateful for their time, and have an active interest in pursuing a possible future opportunity with their company.
2. What have you done to create your own personal “brand”? It is very important to market yourself to employers starting with your first interaction. To set yourself apart and be distinguished to employers it is important to join student organizations and have work experience. Through my time here at State I have been members of the Accounting Association, Supply Chain Management Association and the Future Business Leaders of America to name a few. Activities such as these with work experience and strong communication skills can really show an employer how you can make make a meaningful contribution and be a great fit for their team.
3. How long did it take to find your position? I accepted my position in November of 2008, so it took me about 2 months from my first application on MySpartanCareer to the acceptance of my offer. Within these two months I was very proactive in keeping in touch with all of the contacts at Hershey I have made. Thank you letters is one part (a very big one at that), but it is also important to keep in contact after the thank you letter. Showing continued interest in the company through an email can really help set you apart from other candidates.
4. Who or what was most helpful in your search? Information I have gathered from the staff at the Lear Center through my time here was probably the most helpful. Through the Lear Center I learned about great tools such as MySpartanCareer and Career Fairs. Both of these are great resources to expand your opportunities and make valuable contacts. The more people you make contact with, the more you learn about professionalism and how to handle yourself while communicating with employers. The Lear Center has almost an endless staff of people that are looking to support you in your job search.
5. How has your proactive approach to finding a job been successful? I have accepted a full-time position with The Hershey Company after my May graduation. Being proactive early in the year (I accepted the position in November) takes a lot of pressure off of the job search and school work during the year. I was able to focus on my studies knowing I had a secure job waiting for me after graduation. There is never a bad time to make contact with the Lear Center or employers. Employers will be impressed with your initiative, and at the very least you have expanded your network of contacts that will be there for you in the future. Related Resources

• Proactive Job Searching
• Job Hunt Motivation
• Finding Unadvertised Jobs
• Jibberjobber.com – to keep your career search organized

Feel free to share your own story about being proactive (or getting proactive) in the comments section!