Job Searching Lessons From The Unemployed Senior

As a marketing student looking for a job once I graduate, I understand how frustrating it can be to land a good job in marketing. Although I haven't actually gotten a job yet, I thought I'd share some of the lessons I learned during this process. 

1. Network, Network, Network!


"It's not about what you know or who you know. It's about who knows you" - some dude I met

Networking is the most underutilized form of  job searching. Employers are simply looking to hire good people, and the more employers you meet and get to know, the better chance you will have at landing a good job. 

• The Smith School offers information sessions for many companies. Attend any of them that have the slightest interest to you. Meet the speakers, get their business cards, follow-up and connect with them on LinkedIn. 
• The NYC SUSA trip, (happens every fall), is the best chance to meet    employers from the New York City area. The marketing group visits top advertising agencies  every year and for those of us looking to work in NYC there is no better opportunity to network with NYC employers.
• terpAMA and other student organizations have professional events for students to connect with employers on a weekly basis. Attend these events and meet these professionals even if they are not hiring! 

Always remember, even if you don't want to work for a certain employer networking with them is still beneficial because you never know who they know. It's a small world. 

2. Use Resources

As students we have a variety of resources at our finger tips. Believe it or not I actually got an interview after using talentzoo, a job search website specifically for marketers. Other similar websites include TalentWorks and the AMA Job Board. 

• Professors: They actually want to help you. The better job you get, the better they look. So, ask your Professors to help connect you with potential employers...they know people too. 
• A friend of mine actually uses other schools job search platforms to look for jobs. So, ask your friends from other schools to let you use their login information to look for jobs offered at their schools. This can be very beneficial especially if your looking to work somewhere other than the Washington, D.C. area.
•  In order to combat the thousands of people that apply online I used LinkedIn to obtain the email of HR managers at companies I wanted to work for. It does take some time because you have to figure out what the company's email structure is to figure our their email, but it is well worth it. 

3. Get Involved

Getting involved in student organizations also has boundless benefits. An interview I had last week was set up by one of my fraternity brothers. He knew someone that worked in Advertising in NYC and got me an interview. 

There are many organizations within the business school and beyond to get involved in, and they do help you during your job search. This is especially important for some of the underclassmen that may not have that internship experience.

Lastly, this process can be frustrating and it is easy to lose motivation fast. At times you will feel like you hit a wall and have no hope.Those walls are for the people who don't really want it as bad as you and the more walls you climb, the more likely  you are to succeed. 

For those of us lacking motivation...