This document provides advice for finding the right job to launch a career. It emphasizes the importance of preparation, including deciding on a career path and industry, researching companies and salaries, developing an online professional presence, optimizing resumes, and networking. It also offers tips for searching job boards and company sites, dressing professionally, and following up on applications. Finally, it outlines steps for landing an interview such as researching the company, anticipating questions, dressing professionally, and following up with a thank you email. The overall message is that thorough preparation and networking are key to finding career opportunities.

1. Finding the right job to
launch your career
Bill Opal from Sails-Up
2017 Annual Career Development Conference

2. – Seneca
“Luck is what happens when preparation
meets opportunity.”

3. Prepare
• Decide what you want to do
• What career path do you want to take?
• What field do you want to work in?
• What size company appeals to you?

4. Prepare
Utilize tools to learn
about companies,
industry and earning
potential

5. Prepare
salary.com let’s you
see your worth in the
market
Money is not the only
answer, but it makes a
difference.
Barack Obama

6. Prepare
Follow companies through
LinkedIn
Search recent news using Google
Discover the “personality” of a
company by their actions

7. Prepare
• Become the expert
• Create an on-line professional
Image
• Post blog messages
• Join groups
• Comment on articles
• Leverage social media
• Clean up your social media
footprint

8. Prepare
• Spend the time to tweak the
resume specifically for the job
you want.
• Have at least two other
people review your resume
for typo’s — Than two more
people.
• Adobe PDF version of your
resume will protect the
integrity of your formatting.
Should be Then

9. Search
• glassdoor.com can have 30% more new post per day then
other job boards
• LinkedIn - Shows you connections from your network
related to the job posting
• Indeed -- an aggregation site that posts jobs from
thousands of company career sites and job boards.
• AfterCollege, which features entry-level jobs and
internships for college students and recent graduates.
• USAJOBS.com -- the U.S. Government's official job site.
• LinkedIn -- a professional networking site that also includes
a job search engine.
• Monster and Careerbuilder - two largest job boards in the
U.S.
Job Boards

10. Search
• Dress
professionally
• Drop off your
resume
• Go to company
sites
• apply on line

11. Search
• MeetUp Groups
• Career Center Events
• Leverage contacts gained
from your Internships
• Leverage your friends parents.
• Where do they work? Are
they willing to drop off a
resume?
Network - Network - Network

12. Land The Job
• Prepare for the interview
• Research the company
• Find out about recent events and product launches
• Know the leadership team
• Dress Professionally
• Anticipate questions and have answers ready
• Be on time - Know where you are going, allow for traffic

13. Land The Job
• Arrive at the reception or meeting area no more then 10 minutes
early - no less then five minutes early.
• Turn off the ringer on your phone. Don’t place it on the desk
while you are interviewing.
• Give the interviewer a fresh copy of your resume.
• Stay positive during the interview.
• Talk about your accomplishments.
• Be mindful of time. Keep your answers concise and relevant to
the question.

14. Land The Job
• Follow up with a Thank You email
• Don’t stalk them
• Keep looking for work. Don’t stop after your first
interview. Try to get offers from more then one
company so you have options.

15. Thank you for your time

16. Resources
• Favorite Career advice site
• http://www.humanworkplace.com
• LinkedIn Profile
• www.linkedin.com/in/billopal/
• Slideshare
• http://www.slideshare.net/Billopal