The hunt is on…

I have been working as a co-op at NxStage for three months now, and it appears there will not be any full time positions opening this summer that I would fit. This means that it is time to start my job search.

I went on a job search about 6 months ago, and I didn’t have too much luck. I applied for jobs online, built profiles for Monster and CareerBuilder, went to career fairs, went to career services, talked to my professors, and talked to my friends. However, I fell short of obtaining a full time job. I did manage to receive my co-op position here at NxStage as my backup plan. This time, I don’t want to fall back on an internship or a co-op, its all or nothing, full-time salary position or bust.

Since my main interest lies in medical devices, I am going to start by searching the career pages of every medical device company I know the name of. I will apply for jobs that seem to be a good fit for me, as well as some that may be a stretch. If I don’t find any jobs that match, I will send my resume anyways. As time goes by, if I am not getting interviews or offers, I will broaden my search into other markets.
Job searching can be very tough, frustrating and tiring. Some say that searching for a full time job is a full time job itself. Here are some tips I have for job searching:
Make a list of companies: Using an excel spreadsheet, make a list of companies you have applied for and want to apply for. Make note of the date you applied, any responses you received, whether you sent a cover letter and resume, and whether you followed up. Staying on top of things will make the searches much easier; it can also give you insight to when you should follow up and check the site for new listings.
Never send the same resume twice: This one was news for me, I have heard that you should customize the cover letter to address the company and the position you are applying for. However, I never knew that you should try to reflect the job description with your resume. Apparently, a generic resume looks lazy and mass produced. It will appear that you do not have much interest in the position, regardless of how long you spend writing the cover letter.
Network, Network, Network: There is no such thing as too many sources for job listings. Don’t just check the company websites, check Monster, check CareerBuilder, and check Craigslist! Talk to your friends, colleagues, professors, parents, and whoever. You never know who has connections to a company you might be interested in.
Don’t consider your peers competition: Although my former classmates may be applying to the same position as me, I have found that you are more likely to get exposure to more jobs if you share information. Also, if you get information about a job that might not be a fit for you, refer your friends to it, it will make you a valuable resource and a team player.

Please feel free to comment if you have any suggestions!