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| The George W. Daverio School of Accountancy (330) 972-7586 |
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| College of Business Administration |
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For Accounting 201 and 202 Students.
Job Search “Executive Summary” |
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| The Center for Career Management (CCM) offers a wide variety of services and resources to help you achieve your career goals. Services provided by the Center include internship job search databases, free resume and cover letter critiques, mock interviews, job search strategies, workshops, career fairs, campus recruiting interviews with employers, and more. This document offers useful tips that will help you prepare for careers in accounting. For more detailed information and guidance, you may contact your professors in the School of Accountancy or contact the Center for Career Management (330-972-7747, uaccm@uakron.edu). |
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| LOOKING FOR A CAREER, NOT JUST A JOB |
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Any journey begins with preparation. As you begin your career journey, you are beginning a journey of 10,000 days, which is the length of days of a typical working career. What would you enjoy doing for 10,000 days of your life? What achievements do you want to leave behind?
Before you jump right in to your job search, take time for self-assessment and reflection on your goals, skills, abilities, and knowledge. Searching for a job/internship requires time and planning. Ideally, you want to map out your job search plan. Use a calendar and map out the dates appropriate to your needs.
Don’t know where to start:
- Ask, Reflect: Make the time to think about the following questions, which will guide your career search:
- What would be your ideal career or job?
- What are the key skills, abilities, and knowledge that you would like to use in your career?
- Do you most enjoy working with people, ideas, data, or things?
- If you have work experience, what did you like most about it? What did you like least?
- What type of work environment do you prefer (Office? Outdoor? Interactive? Quiet?)?
- If you are unable to find a job in your ideal career path, what is your backup plan? How can your "Plan B" help you to get to your "Plan A?"
- What information could a potential employer find out about you by doing a simple Google search? If a potential employer has access to Facebook or MySpace, what does your information convey about your maturity and ability to be a professional in the workplace?
- Know and Gather Information: What do you know about jobs in your career path? What is a typical entry level job? What types of organizations hire within your career? Do you know anyone doing the kind of work you would like to do? What is the demand for that career in the geographic region you want to work?
- Career Advising: If you need assistance in answering these questions, consider setting up an appointment with a career adviser in the Center for Career Management.
- Do the Paperwork
- Prepare your resume. Have it reviewed by your accounting instructors and a Center for Career Management staff member.
- Draft a cover letter. Have it reviewed by your accounting instructors and a Center for Career Management staff member.
- Draft a list of references. Ask your references, and seek their complete contact information. Employers may call your accounting instructors. Consider asking them to serve as your references.
- Read in detail the job descriptions within your career field. Know and understand what skills, knowledge, attitudes, and abilities employers are seeking in their candidates for your career field. Think like an employer, and tailor your resume and cover letter to fit the needs of every application. Show the potential employer you are the best fit for their company.
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| Résumés: Why Do They Matter? |
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| Before you begin to write your résumé, pull together all of your “stuff” -- your files, certificates, old résumés, date books, and whatever else will help you remember all of your achievements. You will want to organize your resume into categories that tell potential employers about your background and your skills and abilities. Be sure to include personal contact information; objective; education (GPA); work experience (relevant or not, it is important); leadership experience; honors/awards and computer skills. |
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| Simple Rules to a Good Résumé |
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- Font: Use 10-12 point font, in a simple "universal" (standard on most computer systems) font style (e.g., Arial, Century Schoolbook, Garamond, Tahoma, Times New Roman, or Verdana).
- Margins: Use margins of 0.5 to .0 inch. Make margins equal on all four sides.
- Length: One page is the goal. If you have extensive life or work experiences (more than 10 years) you may need two pages.
- Paper: When sending your resume by hardcopy, use good quality resume paper in a neutral (beige, ivory, white, light grey) shade. Buy matching envelopes; you can use the same paper for your cover and thank you letters.
- Printer: Use a laser quality printer.
- Ink: Black ink, no colors.
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| Write, Write, and Write Again |
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- Draft #1: Include everything. It might be too long, but that is fine for your first draft … put it aside, and come back to it the next day.
- Draft #2: Pare down to the essentials. Ask yourself, “If I were an employer, what information would be most important for me to know about this candidate?” Remember those three words that described your strengths? When you read over this first draft of your résumé, would someone who does not know you pick up those three words from your résumé? If not, maybe you are missing something … go back to your “stuff,” and make sure you have included everything. Have someone critique your résumé after your second draft.
- Draft #3: Final edit to 1 (or if you have earned it, 2) pages. Now you are ready to apply for a job!
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| Interview and Polish |
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| When invited to interview with an organization, be sure to ask about the type of interview you will have, who you will be interviewing with, how long the interviews will last, and what information they need you to bring. Be aware that the organization is looking for someone who best “fits” their work team, organization, mission, values, and goals. You are also looking for a good “fit” with an organization that will provide a good experience for your career growth. Be sure to send thank you notes shortly after all interviews. |
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| Job Search Etiquette |
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| As you conduct your job search, you want to convey that you have the professional skills and abilities to interact with colleagues, clients, customers, and bosses in a work environment. Take a moment to review some of these career tasks: |
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| Phone and Voice-mail |
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E-mail and Mail |
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Do: |
- Identify yourself by your full name and your reason for calling. If you reach a voice-mail, leave your full name, spell out your name, and give your phone number slowly or repeat it twice.
- Prepare an outline of what you want to ask before calling.
- Have a copy of your resume and cover letter before you call, in case you are asked questions.
- Call early in the morning or late in the day to increase your chances of reaching the person you are calling.
- On your own voice-mail message for those who call you, clearly state your first and last name so that the employer knows they have reached the correct person.
- Return all calls from employers in a timely manner.
- Learn how to tell an employer you are not interested in their offer. It is better to be upfront than to burn bridges.
- Be professional in all your communication with an employer.
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- Carefully check your spelling and grammar use full sentences, and treat your E-mail like a professional communication tool.
- Call to check on the correct spelling of names or job titles before sending mail/E-mail/cover letter.
- Use a concise and descriptive phrase for the subject line of your E-mail.
- Keep your E-mail short and to the point.
- Include your name, phone, address, and contact information in your E-mail.
- Attach your resume and cover letter using your name as the filename.
- Respond quickly to any request for information.
- Send a thank you note after each interview addressed individually to each person with whom you interviewed.
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| Don't |
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Don't |
- If the employer asks for no calls, don’t call.
- Call repeatedly, act huffy if you do not get the person you are calling, or in other ways become an annoyance to a potential employer.
- Use funny, inappropriate, music-laden voice mail greetings for your own voice mail.
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- Use all uppercase letters or bold, as this is considered SHOUTING.
- Burn any bridges by E-mail, use inappropriate language, use informal “What’s up?” language, or include anything in an E-mail you would not want your grandma to see in the morning newspaper.
- Use an unprofessional sounding E-mail address.
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| Cell Phone |
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In Person |
| Do: |
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- Turn off your cell phone before your interview.
- Answer your cell phone professionally, if you have listed it as your phone contact on your resume or applications.
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- Smile, introduce yourself, and offer your handshake to every person you meet.
- Repeat the name of the person you meet, asking for correction pronunciation.
- Thank the receptionist or administrative assistant who arranged your interview schedule or who greets you in the office.
- Ask about that person’s work and how they enjoy working at that location.
- Be clean, groomed, dressed professionally.
- Use body language and attire that convey you have the maturity and confidence to do the job.
- Ask for a copy of each person’s business card, then follow up with thank you notes.
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| Don't |
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- Answer your cell phone in an interview if you forget to turn it off.
- Answer your cell phone with an informal greeting like “What’s up Dog?” if you have listed it on your resume or job application.
- Have inappropriate voice-mail greetings and/or ring tones or music box offerings.
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- Stop by an office dressed in dirty or sloppy clothes, even if you are just dropping off your resume.
- Spray or splash on too much perfume or cologne/aftershave.
- Act grumpy or complain about the time of your interview.
- Convey negative things about the organization or the products or services of the organization.
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