Gonzaga University Career Services Blog

Through hard work and dedication and have landed the interview for a dream gig.  Now, it’s time to put your researching hat on to become prepared and feel more confident about the company you are interviewing with. LinkedIn, once again can be a great tool!

There are four questions you should be prepared to answer, or at least have knowledge of when at an interview:

1. What is company’s mission/product?

2. Who is the competition?

3. What does the corporate culture look like?

4. Company changes/forecast.

This video will give you tips and tricks for handling these questions, plus:

• Quickly learn the basics about any company—and their competition
• Find out and prepare for unique job requirements for each position
• Follow your target companies using the Company Buzz app

If you find yourself stick stuck after going through these video tutorials, the Career Center is happy to help you!  Give us a call 509-313-4234 or careercenter@gonzaga.edu.  We are happy to coach to you towards effective LinkedIn strategies.

Tags: Linkedin, LinkedIn Job Search, Social Media, Social Media and Job Search

You’ve developed your personal brand.  You have begun to expand your professional network.  Now it’s time to place your LinkedIn skills to work, and start searching for the opportunities that fit you!

More than 70% of jobs are found through networking. LinkedIn can help you:

• Find jobs through postings on LinkedIn and tap your network to get a leg up
• Reach out to your existing network to find unlisted opportunities
• Find your way “in” by using company pages, groups, and search

This LinkedIn video will give you come helpful tips and tricks for navigating the job search while maintaining your personal brand and ultimate career goals.

Tags: Career Development, Job Search, Linked In, Linkedin, Social Media, Social Media and Job Search, Success in Economy

Now, it’s time to take your professional brand to the street, (so to speak) and start growing your network.  Many students are lost when trying to conceptualize the formation of a professional network.    In all honesty, it’s pretty simple.  Think of an onion with an immediate core of friends and family.   (Yes, you can connect to your parents on LinkedIn!)  After that, start connecting to recent alumni of Gonzaga.

• Join LinkedIn groups for your alumni and the industry you’d like to work in.  Here are some “Zag Only” groups I’d recommend: Gonzaga Alumni Association, Gonzaga Career Center, Gonzaga University.
• Request introductions from your connections to grow your network, gain advice, and open doors to new opportunities.

Tags: Career Development, Job Search, Linkedin, LinkedIn and Job Search, Networking, Social Media, Social Media and Job Search, Success in Economy

Ah, the aged old dilemma: What do you want to be when you grow up?   You find yourself searching on job boards all around the internet with little to no luck.  Sometimes, adding a bit of focus will amp up your search by narrowing down types of industry or field you want to work in.

Through groups and professional networking, LinkedIn can give solid guidances for “next steps” in your career.

• Search LinkedIn to learn about career paths, industries, and geographic locations
• Engage with industry groups to keep up on hot topics and trends
• Visit company pages and follow companies to see who’s coming and going

Tags: Career Development, Job Search, Linkedin, LinkedIn and Job Search, Networking, Social Media, Social Media and Job Search, Success in Economy

Are any of these logos familiar to you?  They should be. These logos represent the brands of some of the world’s most recognized companies.   Time and energy has been spent to develop brands to highest potential while maintaining quality repuation.  What, does this have to do with your job search?  In one word: everything.

If you are a recent graduate, your time at Gonzaga and tuition expenses is your investment in your potential brand as a potential professional.  Now, it’s time to sell that personal brand to the world!

The highlighted video from LinkedIn today discusses branding yourself as a professional on LinkedIn. From your profile photo to an appropriate headline, this video will guide you step-by-step to bringing out your brand.

Not quite sure where to start?  The Career Center staff is happy to help during the summer! Send us an e-mail at careercenter@gonzaga.edu.

Tags: Branding How-To, Job Search, Linkedin, LinkedIn and Job Search, Personal Branding, Social Media, Success in Economy

Let’s face it, love it or hate it social media is here to stay.  Information is being shared faster and at higher volumes than ever before.  For any and all job seekers, this sharing of information can be slightly intimating (to say the least). Where then in the vast open space of the internet, should job seekers start?

My personal recommendation:  LinkedIn.  Many Gonzaga students have heard me on my soapbox for months about the literal power of the professional networking capabilities of LinkedIn.  I remember teaching a “How-to” seminar in January with an on-campus business fraternity.  Months later, I would ask the students who participated in the seminar how their profile looks.  They would look at me sheepishly and say,”Not great…”

Now, I have to wonder: where is the disconnect? What is preventing students from becoming more involved with LinkedIn?

For that, I have a simple answer: Honey vs. Molasses.

In the world of social media networking, Facebook is quick and easy.  Students have become accustomed to gaining new “friends” quickly and fluidly.  (Yes, similar to pouring honey.)  LinkedIn however, takes a little bit more time.  Relationships and contacts have to be researched and cultivated.  ”Adding” contacts takes patience and time.  (Both typically are lacking when in the midst of a job search.)

To up the ante I thought I would share three major facts to drive home my point that LinkedIn is your social media answer for job seekers;

1. As of April 10, there was approx 65 million users on LinkedIn.
2. In a December 2009 survey of 1,200 hiring and recruitment managers, 79% of those surveyed reviewed online information about job applicants.   70% said they rejected candidates based on what they found. (For the full PDF and presentation, check it out here: “Online Reputation in a Connected World“
3. In a Google search, the LinkedIn profile will be highlighted in the top 3 search results.

LinkedIn has great training resources in their training center to get new users started.  We will feature the videos once a day to break apart the intimating LinkedIn dragon.

Happy networking!

Tags: Facebook, Linkedin, LinkedIn and Job Search, Social Media, Social Media Job Search

There is quite a bit of confusion sometimes with college students and LinkedIn.  With the biggest question being, “If I already have a Facebook account, then what’s the point?”  Well… there is quite a big divide actually.  You see, LinkedIn is a strictly professional networking site bringing 55 million professionals together from around the world to share knowledge and network. Unlike Facebook, with LinkedIn you never have to worry about inappropriate photos or funny quizzes you took with your roommate last year.

If you are curious at how to get started…check out this great presentation below.

http://www.slideshare.net/EMCCareerCenter/linkedin-101-2907138

Once you do join as many groups to facilitate ease of digital networking.  These would be a handful of my personal recommendations:

• Gonzaga Career Center
• Gonzaga Alumni Association
• Gonzaga University
• Gonzaga University Alumni
• PDX Job Search
• Job Spot Seattle

Of course there are literally hundreds of different groups, make sure to join the one that fits your field, industry or geographic preference.

Tags: Linkedin, Networking, Social Media

Are you curious about your on-line presence with social media? Do you have questionable information (and photos)  “up for grabs” when it comes to Facebook, MySpace or other social media? Would you want potential employers seeing this side of you?
If “Google-ing” yourself makes you slightly nervous, join us for the Career Center’s

Social Media: Friend or Foe Seminar

Wednesday October 28th at 7 pm

Road to Bali, 2nd Floor Crosby

This seminar is presented by Belinda Bobko & Cassandra Marrs.

Tags: Career Development, Facebook, Linkedin, MySpace, Networking, Seminar, Social Media, Social Media Advice, Success in Economy, Tech Savvy, Workshop