Getting Your First Job For Dummies

Title Page
Copyright Page
Table of Contents
Introduction
	About This Book
	Foolish Assumptions
	Icons Used in This Book
	Beyond the Book
	Where to Go from Here
Part 1 Preparing Yourself Before the Job Search
	Chapter 1 Mapping Out Your Job Search Strategy
		Getting Your First Part-Time Job
		Securing Internships
		Finding Your First Job after College
		Knowing the Importance of Your First Job
			Getting exposed to an industry
			Doing the job itself
			Building your professional network
		Setting a Goal for Yourself
			Having expectations
			Creating a timeline
		Organizing Your Search with Online Tools and Apps
			Using Google Calendar
			Taking notes with Evernote
			Using Google Sheets
			Expanding your vocabulary with Thesaurus.com
	Chapter 2 Highlighting What You Bring to an Employer
		Identifying Your Skills
			Translating your major into specific skills
			Listing your soft skills
			Uncovering your hidden skills
			Getting feedback from your friends
			Identifying areas for improvement
		Detailing Your Experience
			Taking note of volunteer work
			Listing school projects
			Showcasing notable sports and hobbies
			Sharing your background
	Chapter 3 Figuring Out What You Want to Do
		Taking Self-Assessments
			Playing Mercer Match
			Using Paddle
		Getting Insights through Career Discovery Tools
			Utilizing AfterCollege’s Explore
			Leveraging LinkedIn Career Insights
		Identifying Jobs of Interest
			Talking to friends about their work
			Job shadowing
			Writing someone about shadowing
			Using the Occupational Outlook Handbook
Part 2 Starting Your Job Search
	Chapter 4 Researching Employers
		Comparing Large and Small Employers
			Evaluating the advantages of a large company
			Considering the advantages of a small company
			Knowing if a startup is right for you
			Learning about startups on Crunchbase
			Working for a nonprofit
		Finding Employers with New-Grad Programs
			Rotation programs
			Nursing programs
			Sales programs
		Identifying Employers of Interest
			Gauging employee morale on Glassdoor
			Gleaning employee insights on LinkedIn
	Chapter 5 Getting Ready to Search for a Job
		Enlisting Assistance from Your Network
			Networking with LinkedIn
			Leveraging Facebook
			Going to alumni events
			Talking to your teachers and professors
			Getting help from family and friends
		Obtaining Recommendations
			Securing past employer recommendations
			Writing someone for a recommendation
			Approaching teachers for recommendations
			Crafting your own recommendation letter
			Requesting endorsements via LinkedIn
			Asking for recommendations via AfterCollege
		Using Your University Career Center
			Attending career fairs
			Signing up for on-campus interviews
			Practicing with mock interviews
			Utilizing other resources on campus
		Deciding to Use Headhunters and Staffing Firms
	Chapter 6 Searching for Jobs Online
		Familiarizing Yourself with Search Techniques
			Conducting a basic job search
			Using keywords
			Performing Boolean searches
			Doing an advanced job search
		Searching on Job Sites
		Finding Jobs on Google
		Setting Up Automatic Job Alerts
			Setting up AfterCollege job alerts
			Creating a LinkedIn job notification
			Subscribing to school email lists
			Using IFTTT notifications and Craigslist
	Chapter 7 Building a Great Online Presence
		Creating a LinkedIn Profile
		Setting Up an AfterCollege Student Profile
		Showcasing Your Expertise
			Sharing on LinkedIn Publishing
			Writing on Medium
			Creating content on YouTube
			Showing off your code on GitHub
			Competing on Kaggle
		Cleaning Up Your Online Presence
			Searching for yourself on Google
			Checking your credit report
			Dealing with a DUI or arrest record
			Tidying up your social media profile
			Making Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram more private
			Removing questionable pictures
			Getting rid of controversial tweets
			Choosing an appropriate email address
Part 3 Navigating the Application Process
	Chapter 8 Preparing Your Résumé and Cover Letter
		Writing a Cover Letter
		Creating a Great Résumé
			Formatting your résumé
			Avoiding common mistakes
			Identifying key résumé elements
			Using action words
			Looking at a sample résumé
		Getting Résumé Help
			Taking your résumé to your college career center
			Using TopResume to improve your résumé
	Chapter 9 Applying for Jobs
		Starting the Application Process
		Using Applicant Tracking Systems
		Finding Someone to Refer You
			Tapping alumni from your school
		Checking the Status of Your Application
Part 4 Acing the Interview and Getting the Offer You Want
	Chapter 10 Before the Interview
		Preparing for Your Interview
			Starting with the employer’s website
			Using Wikipedia to research the employer
			Finding competing companies on Owler
			Seeing employer numbers on Yahoo! Finance
			Digging into a nonprofit’s finances via GuideStar
			Researching who will interview you
			Learning about the job you’re applying for
		Practicing for the Interview
			Introducing yourself
			What to ask
			Answering questions
		Familiarizing Yourself with the Interview Process
			Initial screening interview
			On-campus interviews
			Interviewing with the hiring manager
			Interviewing with team members
		Becoming Familiar with Interview Platforms
			Interviewing via Skype
			Interviewing via Google Hangouts
			Using video conferencing
			Interviewing via phone
	Chapter 11 The Interview
		Nailing Interview Etiquette
			Dressing the part
			Arriving early
			Getting rid of your chewing gum, food, and drinks
			Handling lunch interviews
			Eliminating distractions
		Making a Great Impression
			Starting a conversation
			Minding your body language
			Making eye contact
			Asking the right questions
			Avoiding the wrong questions
		Answering Difficult Interview Questions
			Talking about yourself
			Addressing your lack of experience
			Talking about why you’re interested in the job
			Focusing on your accomplishments
			Delving into setbacks and how you overcame them
			Listing your top qualities
			Acknowledging areas of improvement
			Problem-solving during the interview
		After the Interview
			Following up
			Writing a thank-you note
			Checking on your status
	Chapter 12 The Offer
		Determining What’s Important to You
			Salary
			Taxes and withholding
			A brief guide to benefits
			Bonuses, commissions, and stock
			Experience
			Flexibility and work–life balance
			Company culture
			Employer brand
		Negotiating an Offer
			Dealing with an on-the-spot verbal offer
			Gaining leverage with multiple offers
			Researching salary information
			Negotiating other perks besides money
		Accepting an Offer
			Sample offer letter
		Declining an Offer
		Dealing with Rejection
			Replying by email
			Getting feedback on why you didn’t get the job
	Chapter 13 Relocating for the Right Job
		Evaluating the Cost of Living
			Calculating cost of living on PayScale
			Researching cost of living on NerdWallet
		Deciding Where to Live
			Finding out how walkable your city is with Walk Score
			Finding an apartment on Craigslist
			Finding housing on Apartments.com
			Letting your Facebook friends know you’re looking for a place to live
			Tapping into alumni networks
		Making Sure You Have Things to Do
			Meeting like-minded people through Meetup
			Turning to TripAdvisor
			Discovering entertainment on Thrillist
			Finding food on Yelp
		Getting Around a New City
			Public transportation
			Car sharing
			Carpooling
Part 5 Starting Your First Job
	Chapter 14 Learning as Much as Possible from Your Job
		Setting Up Check-Ins with Your Boss
		Being Proactive and Taking on Projects
		Knowing What Others Do on Your Team
		Taking Advantage of Learning Opportunities
			Going to lunch-and-learns
			Subscribing to email lists
			Joining online collaboration groups
			Taking advantage of tuition reimbursement
			Learning through online courses
			Participating in training
	Chapter 15 Building Your Professional Network
		Having Lunch with Your Colleagues
		Participating in Group Activities
		Collaborating with People on Other Teams
		Viewing Your Customers and Clients as Colleagues
		Maintaining Your Network Online
Part 6 The Part of Tens
	Chapter 16 Ten Sites for Finding Your First Job
		Indeed
		AfterCollege
		LinkUp
		LinkedIn
		University or College Career Centers
		AngelList
		Glassdoor
		Craigslist
		Internships.com
		Association Websites
	Chapter 17 Ten Places to Gain Skills and Become More Employable
		Coursera
		Udemy
		Lynda.com
		Khan Academy
		Codecademy
		Udacity
		General Assembly
		Galvanize
		Skillshare
		Community College
	Chapter 18 Ten (Or So) Potential Benefits Besides Salary
		401(k), 403(b), and 457
		Health Insurance
		Flexible Spending Accounts, Health Savings Accounts, and Commuter Spending Accounts
		Bonus Plans
		Profit-Sharing Plans and Profit-Sharing Retirement Plans
		Restricted Stock Units
		Stock Option Plans
		Tuition Reimbursement
Index
EULA