In Tight Job Market, Strategy is Key
10 New Year’s job-hunting tips from Long Island University’s Brooklyn Campus

Long Island University career counselors advise job hunters to network not only online but also in person, such as at this Brooklyn Campus job fair. (credit: David Gardiner Garcia)

Brooklyn, N.Y. – This New Year, with unemployment on the rise, a big resolution for many people is to land a new job. Companies are hiring, said the head of career services at Long Island University’s Brooklyn Campus, but with competition stiff, a solid job-search strategy is critical for anyone in the job market.

“Job hunters need a game plan that is focused and aggressive,” advised Stephanie Steinberg, director of the Brooklyn Campus Office of Career Services. “Tactically and psychologically, a job-search plan gives you an edge.”

Although unemployment rates top 6 percent in the New York-New Jersey areas and are expected to rise in 2009, there still are jobs available at all levels of employment. For example, the Brooklyn Campus online job bank receives listings from employers around the country, said Steinberg. Openings range from an entry-level position for a Brooklyn non-profit group, to a budget analyst for a prominent arts organization and a software developer for an international media company.

“Most of these jobs have very competitive salaries and benefits packages,” said Steinberg. She noted that the Brooklyn Campus provides free use of its job bank to any employer, while access for job searching is limited to its students and alumni. Anyone can use the 10 job-hunting tips listed below and available at www.brooklyn.liu.edu. Employers interested in Long Island University’s Brooklyn Campus job bank can visit https://mycareerkey.brooklyn.liu.edu/liu-brooklyn/employer.

10 Tips from the Brooklyn Campus Office of Career Services

1. Prepare a job-search tool kit: It should include a polished resume, basic cover letter that can be customized and two-minute elevator pitch. Whether for a formal interview or a cocktail party, have a succinct description of your skills, your interests and what you can offer an employer.
2. Make a job-search schedule: Structure your time and follow through on each step. (Also schedule time for exercise or even just deep breathing!)
3. If you are still in school: Obtain an internship in a field that interests you. Internships build resumes and often lead to job offers.
4. Or, go back to school: Enhance your credentials with an advanced degree or certificate. Many can be completed in as little as a few months to one year and raise your income potential as well as employability.
5. Use online networks like LinkedIn and Facebook: Target appropriate individuals with customized messages; don’t just blast your resume to a list. Also, be aware that potential employers may view your social network sites; don’t post personal information that diminishes you professionally.
6. Sign up to receive e-mail notifications from job Web sites: Check sites such as Monster.com, Idealist.org and Foundationcenter.org.
7. Get out from behind your computer: Online job hunting has its place, but these tools should not replace human interactions. For example, join professional organizations to meet a variety of people and keep current with trends in your field.
8. Volunteer: During a career transition, volunteer work helps you stay engaged, hone your skills, build self-confidence and make new contacts. Plus, you can do some good.
9. Keep a lot of irons in the fire: Don’t just pursue one opportunity at a time. Multi-task!
10. Don’t give up: Rejection is not easy, but it’s part of the process. Learn from it and move on.

Media contact: (718) 488-1015

Posted: January 2, 2009