bmchc.experience.com/er/cso/opportunities/job_profile.jsp?job_hnd=30342781&affiliation_hnd=1622.

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As a College Recruiter, I see hundreds of cover letters, resumes and unofficial transcripts each year. Often what I’ve seen happen is that bright students make stupid mistakes and don’t get invited to interview for a position they may be well qualified for. So here are my suggestions aimed at helping you get to the interview table.

Carefully read the job posting on your college’s Career Services job posting system. Note all the key information: the job title, the job description, desired majors, GPA requirements, required documentation, i.e., cover letter, resume, unofficial transcript, and any experience the employer is looking for. If you are truly interested in a specific job and honestly believe you possess the qualifications for it, your next step is writing your cover letter.

The three key points for every cover letter are (1) explaining your reasons why you are applying for the specific position, (2) describing the relevant skills, abilities and experiences you can bring to the specific position and (3) thanking the firm for considering your application.

Explaining your reasons for writing (applying) gives you the opportunity to showcase to the employer why you should be interviewed. Briefly and succinctly specify the following information: where you learned about the position and why you are interested.

The next step: describe what you can bring to the company and the position and why they should hire you: your education (major), personal achievements, problem solving skills, internships and any work experiences you’ve picked up along the way that qualify you to apply for the position. Always link what you say in your letter to what you write in your resume.

End by thanking the firm for considering you and reading your documentation; mention you are looking forward to an interview to reinforce your solid interest in the position.

The essential characteristic of every effective cover letter: be brief! State the facts about yourself and your qualifications in a clear, orderly, concise way and how they directly relate to the position you are applying to interview for. Limit yourself to one page.

Finally, use a standard font like Times Roman size 12 pitch, no smaller. If you make it easy for the recruiter to read your letter, you will make a friend. Correctly spell her/ his name and position and the firm’s name. Check your spelling and grammar! Don’t cut and paste from previous letters to employers for similar positions. That technique only increases the possibility for errors. If the position is one you really want and are serious about applying for: start from scratch. And before you press that send button make sure you have included all the required documentation and materials mentioned in the posted job description.

When I graduated from Bryn Mawr ten years ago, technology was a small part of the job application process. Today, online applications are de rigueur, cell phone numbers and email addresses are part of everyone’s resume, and employers have access to an applicant’s online profile. On the one hand, these technologies have improved the application process. On the other hand, it is imperative that your digital identity not detract from your prospects.
I’ve been on both ends of the recruiting spectrum. I’ve submitted resumes and cover letters to apply for a number of jobs. In my current position, I’m responsible for reviewing applicants’ materials and for hiring. Here are my tips on how you can use technology wisely to be successful in your job search.
1. Resume. Before writing a resume, take a moment to search online to find a format that you like. To state the obvious, make sure that your resume and cover letter (or any other job application materials required) are free of grammatical and spelling errors. Print them out before you submit them, and actually read them aloud, as grammar and spell check tools can still miss a few things. Save your resume as a .PDF before submitting, as formatting may change.
2. Email. One’s email address actually reveals a lot about a person. An academic email address is always acceptable. Personal email addresses are fine, but make sure they are professional- or at least neutral-sounding. Addresses such as lilcutegirl@domain.com or kegstandmaster@domain.com send a message to a recruiter that you do not take yourself seriously as an adult, and neither will she or he.
When you email people, use a friendly and confident tone. I welcome messages from applicants, and I try to answer them as promptly as possible. Occasionally I need a reminder, and I do believe that the squeaky wheel gets the grease. A reminder perhaps one week after your first email is very reasonable. However, badgering emails to recruiters that are all in caps are not going to get you anywhere. Since applying online is the nearly universal policy among companies, the best advice I can give is to apply online and then send no more than two follow-up emails to a recruiter.
3. Digital image. What is your online persona? Technology can be image damaging. If you are not receiving any phone interviews despite having fantastic resumes and cover letters, it is time to take a look at your digital reputation. Nothing is private anymore. Even if your Facebook, Twitter, and Blog accounts are “friends-only,” it is possible that a potential employer has seen these compromising photographs and posts. The untag option is a fantastic tool, as are friend filters and groups. Recruiters often Google candidates they want to interview. It is possible that you did not get a phone call because someone found a compromising photograph of you on MySpace. Photographs of you holding your new nephew at Thanksgiving are fine. The tweet that you posted calling your professor an offensive name is not. Post wisely.
4. Cell phone. Many people are using cell phones as their primary—or only–telephone number. What is your outgoing voicemail message? When I call you for an interview, it will help me to pronounce your name correctly if you state it in your announcement. A woman’s voice stating only her phone number is not helpful to me; it does not confirm that I have dialed the right number. Your outgoing message should be neutral, professional, and brief. Stating your name and your request for a message is all you need; ditto for when you leave a message in my voice mailbox. And don’t forget to leave your telephone number, slowly, and a second time.
5. Finally, you can use technology wisely to your job searching advantage. Many recruiters now post positions on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter. LinkedIn is generally accepted as the professional networking site, so create an account and update it whenever you acquire a new job or experience. Follow organizations and companies that interest you over these networking sites as some recruiters post positions and community events there. Join alumni groups (past places you have worked, volunteered, or studied) and connect with as many people as possible. In the end, technology should enhance your job searching experience, not become a liability.

One week before the official start of second semester classes, I traveled to Washington, D.C. and met up with 3 other bi-co students: one Bryn Mawr sophomore, and two other seniors from Haverford. We spent the day trekking around the city, making it to five different Think Tanks and Research Institutes where Bryn Mawr or Haverford (or sometimes both!) alumni have established their careers. I’ll start by detailing the events of the day, and then making some observations about my experience.

First we met Dottie Rosenbaum (HC ’88) at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. She explained the Center as a sort of watch-dog non-profit, founded in 1981, which keeps on eye on Congress’s policy decision-making, with particular attention to tax and budget proposals. The Center also engages in policy advocacy geared toward “reducing poverty and hardship,” and has distinguished itself in its ability to churn out complex analyses in short periods of time – a strategy aimed at gaining influence through media. The Center highlights its description by CQ Today as a “socially liberal, fiscally conservative, and academically rigorous,” which matches my impression fairly well. Dottie had gone to the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, which she described as a “very different place” compared to the bi-co. She recommended that anyone interested in policy research and/or advocacy gain work experience before attending graduate school. She advised us to pay attention to work/life balance, even if it seems inapplicable at this stage of life. And she reassured us that plans will always fall into place (hers did!), and to always go with that gut instinct in making life decisions. She really enjoys working at the Center, and even gave us information about the (paid!) internship program.

Next, we optimistically set out on foot for the American Institutes for Research to meet with Becki Herman (HC ’87). 30 minutes later, we arrived (freezing & pretty exhausted) at the organization referred to as AIR. Since this is my take on things, I think I get to say that AIR was my favorite stop on our trip. Basically, it is a non-profit organization that takes on clients for start-to-finish research projects. Clients can range from individuals, private organizations, to even government institutions like the Department of Education. Founded in 1946 and currently located in 42 US and international offices with about 1500 employees, it operates with a corporate consulting business model. All projects are done in teams and all employees operate with a very clear hierarchy (a benefit if you like a sense of opportunities for growth). AIR does “applied research,” so while about 60% of its employees have PhDs and most of the entry level positions have an expectation of continued education, the work does not feel removed from reality. If you’re someone who wants to do research, but also wants to use it as a problem-solving or evaluative tool in a very direct way, this is a great organization to consider.

Becki directed us to the taxi area for our next stop, the Urban Institute. We stopped for lunch before heading up 5 floors to meet with Kaitlin Franks (HC ’09) and Mary Winkler (BMC ’90). Kaitlin has been working at the Institute for a year and a half, and she really enjoys it. Most of what she does now is preparing data for statistical analysis, termed “data cleaning.” She remarked that she essentially “gets paid to do homework.” She was an economics major at Haverford and feels like she’s getting a sense of the more social aspect of her quantitative work at the Urban Institute. Mary told us a hilarious story about how she got involved with UI, and then asked us to pick her brain for career/life tips. My general sense of her career thus far was that she pursued a master’s degree in something that interested her, and serendipitously ended up working at a place that she loved. (Side note: if you are someone who does not like ambiguity in life plans, do not contact Mary or Dottie). Kaitlin, on the other hand, said she applied for a lot of positions during her senior year of college and ended up fortunate enough to choose between a few different opportunities. She added that there were many rejections in between the offers, such that her and her suitemates created a “fail wall” to jokingly commiserate. Her basic career advice was to be persistent in pursuing things, especially at this stage (halfway through senior year).

On we went to the Brookings Institute to meet with Alice Rivlin (BMC ’52), which was a totally exciting opportunity as she has accomplished so much in her career. We learned a little about the Brookings Institute, and how it fits onto the “think tank” to “research institute” to “action tank” spectrum. Apparently it’s one of the best examples of a “pure” think tank – note the relic of the educational affiliation of the Institute in its “.edu” website and email addresses. Alice still works for Brookings as a senior fellow (in economic studies) and as the director of the Greater Washington Research team. She took us through her awe-inspiring life story, which includes being the appointed first director of the Congressional Budget Office, deputy director of the Office of Management and Budget, and governor of the Federal Reserve. She has been working on economic policy issues since Lyndon Johnson’s Presidential term, has authored several books (and is currently working on one right now at the age of 80), and has truly blazed a trail for women in the public sphere. You can read more about her achievements here.

To round out the day, we headed to Virginia (who knew it was so close to D.C.?) to meet with Elliot Diringer (HC ’80) at the Pew Center on Global Climate Change. Eliot is the vice president for international strategies and gave us a brief overview of the organization. The majority of our time, though, we spoke with Eliot and another Haverford Grad, Jim Kapsis, who showed up from across the street, where he works at OPOWER, a private consulting firm that works on energy efficiency. The two of them relayed life/career stories which involved a lot of chance encounters, effective networking, and hard work. The two of them each said to pursue whatever sounds appealing at this stage in our lives, and to not be afraid to move on to the next thing if something isn’t working. Both alumni said that they took big risks in terms of their careers in their early years, and most paid off (though of course some didn’t). The four of us undergraduates were exhausted by this point, so their high energy dialogue kept us going through the last meeting.

Reflecting on the day while waiting for my train back to Philly that night, I realized that one of the most helpful things about the day was actually visiting the organization’s offices. I don’t think I would have gotten a sense of the culture of the organization, or of how I would fit in there as a prospective employee, without having experienced the actual setting. The alumni were eager to share their stories with us and in a few cases made the extra effort to bring in others who were currently employed in the entry-level positions for which we would be eligible. Finally, I learned to save business cards. I never realized how helpful they are in recalling names/organizations/addresses when the time came to write thank-you notes. I don’t think I would have made it through that task without them. Every alumnus encouraged us to contact him or her with further questions, so I wouldn’t hesitate to do so yourself!

Picture an ideal world: The job market is booming. College seniors are no longer having meltdowns about their (nonexistent) plans for life after graduation. Interest rates are up. Competitive fields like law and medicine just got a little less cutthroat and a little more accessible to deserving, hardworking students. Jobs are falling into the laps of career-seekers faster than you can say “unemployment.”

Now, back to reality. It stings a little bit, doesn’t it? Some jobs are not only hard to come by, but difficult to keep. For students fresh out of college, it’s no different – success is definitely possible coming from schools like Bryn Mawr and Haverford, but only after landing that first great internship or entry-level position. The important skills needed in a fast-paced career world are not limited to those needed within a specific position or field, but extend to basic knowledge of communication and people. Networking might just be the most vital skill you’ll ever need.

The beautiful thing about networking is that it can take place anywhere at any time. There is no telling when you’ll meet your next boss or bump into a long-lost family friend who just happens to know the CEO at (insert dream company/hospital/firm here). Of course, networking isn’t as simple as running into your next big opportunity – it requires the willingness to be proactive and determined to keep up a connection that could pay off in the long run.

My experience with networking came about almost accidentally when I decided to contact a Bryn Mawr alum I met at a discussion panel on careers in law. What started out as a question about patents and technology transfer quickly turned into an externship at one of the most respected medical research institutions in the US. Then the networking kicked in. I was given the name of a Swarthmore alum working in my area of interest at a company that provides technology and business services to scientists/researchers translating their technology into marketable products, a friend of the attorney I had worked with during my externship, and took off from there. Now, thanks to a cascade of contacts and referrals, I will probably be interning at BioStrategy Partners in Wynnewood this summer.

I could not have accomplished any of this without networking and the rich alumni and career resources we are given access to here in the bi-college community. Here are a few things to keep in mind that will help your networking end successfully:

1) Be honest. If you’re looking for an opportunity to learn about something you have never tried before, say it! My networking came about simply because I was looking for an experience that would show me what a law/science-based career is really about. Employers will be impressed with your desire to learn and work outside of your comfort zone. Networking is useful for so much more than just finding a steady job. It can lead you to your next great mentor and really help you narrow down your search for what you want to do for the rest of your life.

2) Start early. Networking is easy once you get the hang of it (think of it as “making friends” with potential employers), but it will serve you best if it’s used to build up connections over time. The longer you’ve been meeting people, contacting their contacts, etc., the more options you’ll have when it comes down to following up on certain leads. And isn’t it always better to have options?

3) Once is never enough. Sending one email or making one phone call is not really “networking.” As mentioned before, the networking process is very similar to that of making friends. And what do you do when you want to turn a new friend into a good friend? You keep in touch; you talk to them regularly. Networking is no different. It’s important to remember that you’re probably not the only one jumping on opportunities as they arise, and you’re probably not the only one to ever ask for your contact’s card. No matter how memorable your resume, it’s easy to get forgotten in a swirl of applications and paperwork. The being said, keep up your connections! Drop them a line asking them how they are doing or updating them about your recent (and relevant) successes. Show your interest in their current work or research (which might require you to check up on their website periodically); ask them questions about what’s changing in your field of interest. An email sent once a month may not seem like a lot of work, but it pays off beautifully in the end. And don’t worry about being perceived as annoyingly persistent – chances are your contact will be impressed by how you remembered them.

Secret Life of Scientists & Engineers | PBS.