Next Steps: Postgraduation Career Plans

—April Kinser, Director Career Development Office (CDO), Campus Center 201

During your last academic year at Bard you will have plenty of time to develop your post graduation plans by starting in the fall and scheduling an appointment in the Career Development Office (CDO). September is an excellent month to meet with me, April Kinser, Director (kinser@bard.edu; x7177), or Nicole Burman, Associate Director (burman@bard.edu; ext.7189), to discuss career possibilities or graduate/professional school interests. A conversation with one of us can help you plan ahead with a timeline to accomplish your goals. By scheduling a few appointments with one of us over the next year and attending one or two CDO workshops you can reduce the stress of your job search by demystifying the process and developing the necessary skills to conduct a successful job search following graduation.

Our mission is to help you transfer your Bard liberal arts education into the professional world you want to enter. When we meet we will offer you concrete feedback and suggestions regarding your career and job interests or help you sort out your work and career options if you are confused.

We encourage you to pick up or download the Bard Basic Job Guide at http://inside.bard.edu/career. This publication contains sample resumes and tips for your job search. Once youíve identified the professional field you would like to enter we can assist you in creating a competitive resume. Try to write your first draft and have it reviewed by us before Thanksgiving. Once written the resume can be filed away until you are ready to start your job search.

The timetable for starting your job search depends upon the field you want to enter and the type of position you desire. After sorting out your direction with our assistance we can help you establish an appropriate start date for your job search. It should reflect your personal needs and the type of work you are seeking. For example, seniors who are interested in working at a nonprofit and want to start working in the summer could begin their search in late April, but a senior wanting to enter the financial world should start his/her search now as deadlines can be as early as October or November. Most of you will find that starting your job search shortly after submitting your Senior Project in April is an appropriate time to look for a job if you are ready to start work in the summer. On average, once the employer advertises a job, it takes a few months to fill an entry-level position for a recent college graduate. Keep in mind that governmental jobs, teaching opportunities in private schools, and business and financial positions may have deadlines for applicants as early as this fall. Postgraduate paid internships at prestigious organizations are competitive and also have early deadlines. A fall appointment with us will enable you to get a handle on the how and when to start your job search and safeguard you from missing important deadlines for career opportunities.

The job search requires focus, commitment, organizational skills, a positive attitude, an ability to clearly articulate the type of position you want, and the inclination to connect with people and tell them about your career goals. Networking, although very important to your job search, is only one way to discover job opportunities. Donít underestimate the effectiveness of applying for jobs posted at websites and in the classifieds of your future hometown newspaper.

I urge you to attend one of our Senior Salon Job Search events to get a better understanding on how to conduct a successful job search that concludes with a job offer!

Listed below are some job search tips:

• Utilize CDO's two websites. First, register at www.collegecentral.com/bard to access jobs for Bard students and alumni/ae, a list of Bard mentors, and our online calendar of career events. Next, use http://inside.bard.edu/career for general career resources including the Bard Basic Job Guide, which includes sample resumes. Become familiar with the Vault Online Career Library, which has more than 3,000 company profiles, 80 Vault Career Guides, and offers career advice. You can only access the Vault Library with a Bard email account and a password issued via the above website.
• Clarify what type of work you want to do in the immediate future and focus on this field. CDO can assist you in identifying a career direction thatís right for your values and interests.
• Define your immediate career goals and research the appropriate job titles to which you will be applying when you start your search. CDO can teach you job and career researching skills.
• Once you start your search make a commitment to spending several hours a week or a couple of hours a day going online to find job leads and sending out resumes with outstanding cover letters. CDO provides samples of both in the Bard Basic Job Guide.
• Organize your job search by bookmarking websites that post jobs in your field and review these sites every week. Keep files of your cover letters and revised resumes as you may edit them for particular positions. CDO subscribes to job sites and can provide you with passwords.
• Be able to articulate the type of work you are looking for, including job titles. For example, ìI just graduated from Bard College and I am looking for an entry level position in a nonprofit arts organization as an administrative assistant or coordinator of projects or programs.î The clearer you are about what you would like to do, the more likely you are to be successful in getting a job that suits you and sustains your passion and interest. CDO can help you identify and articulate your career goals.

Next Steps Calendar

• September 2007: Schedule an appointment in CDO (x7539) to identify your career direction and review the Bard Basic Job Guide.
• November 2007: Write the first draft of your resume and have a CDO career adviser review it.
• January 2008: Research the internet for career information on your
• immediate career goal. Check out the job opportunities in this field to gain a broad understanding of what is being offered, the requested skills and salary ranges. Start your research with the Vault Online Career Library and Google.
• February 2008: Schedule an appointment with CDO to review your plans
• and ask questions about your search.
• March-April 2008: Attend at least one Senior Salon Job Search Workshop.
• May 2008 & Beyond: Use CDO to support you in your job search during your senior year. We are available to help you after you graduate, but make the most of your time while you are still on campus.

Questions? Need more information?
Contact April Kinser Director, CDO, kinser@bard.edu, x7177