Entering Your Career

Sample Resume	Sample resume to follow Tip: It is advised to create a resume from scratch as opposed to following from a template. This will allow you to make edits more easily, and employers prefer originally created resumes.
Career Coach	Career Coach has a Resume Builder tool to help you get started on creating your resume
JOBSCAN.CO	Many major companies use ATS, or Application Tracking System, to see how much an applicant’s resume matches up with the job description. Use Jobscan to find how much your resume is tailored to a specific job for which you are applying. Copy and paste your resume and the job position to discover ways to become more noticed in an application and increase your chances for an interview!
UCLA CAREER GUIDE	SEE CHAPTER 6 for resumes and cover letters
NovaWorks Resume Resource	"NOVAworks is a part of the America’s Job Centers of California network of federally funded job centers that help prepare job seekers to compete for well-paying jobs in industries with growth potential and partner with employers to help them stay competitive and manage change." Here is a Resume Resourcre page by Novaworks

Volunteering is an accesible way of exploring to build interest, experience, knowledge and skills in your career journey. Review the following resourcre to learn about the value of volunteering in relation to Career

Value of Volunteering

	VolunteerMatch A volunteer search engine to find various opportunities in your area related to causes you care about
	JustServe.orgVolunteer website where volunteers may search for places to assist their communities and provide opportunities to help those in need

Networking is a critical aspect of personal and professional development, playing a crucial role in career advancement and success. Review the following document  to learn about key reasons highlighting the importance of networking:

Networking

Resources to learn more about Networking

Strategies for Networking 

3 Powerful Networking Strategies that Never Fail (Entrepreneur.com)

At-Home Networking Strategies

How to Market Yourself

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Informational Interviewing

Informational Interviewing: Reaching Out and What to Ask

Check out this informative guide on informational interviews for additional assistance 

An informational interview can be both a formal or informal conversation between you and a professional in a field of your interest. Informational Interviews provide you with an opportunity to ask questions to find out specific information about a particular industry or role from someone who is already established in that field. It gives you a chance to ask questions about the person’s role, the company, and the industry.

• The goal is not to request a job but to gain more information about your field from someone who works in it.
• Before you begin, make sure you are conducting your own research to generate questions that address information that is more clear coming from professionals with first-hand experience.
• You can reach out to requests for informational interviews with anyone who you feel might provide you with valuable information, insight, and inspiration for a field of your interest - professors, classmates, colleagues, friends, family, etc. These conversations can occur in person, over the phone, through Zoom or via email.
• Contact to request a meeting that is convenient for the individual or group you are meeting. Remember, they are taking time out of their day to meet with you; they may be choosing to meet with you out of the joy of sharing their life experiences and passion, so be respectful of their time.

LinkedIn is a professional social networking platform, often called the “Facebook for professionals” that, as per their mission statement, “connects the world’s professionals to make them more productive and successful.” With over 690 million users around the world, it is an essential tool to expand your networking efforts. 

Source: About LinkedIn 

Getting Started
We suggest taking the following steps to get started with LinkedIn.

1. Create a profile and gather a professional photo. Pro tip: Do not use a selfie or a photo that you have cut someone else out of.  
2. The checklist developed by LinkedIn will help you get started in developing a profile. Another Pro tip: If you already have a resume developed, it is easier to set up your profile.
3. After completing your profile, meet with a career counselor for further pointers. 
4. Check out BestColleges' informative guide covering LinkedIn. Their guide covers top LinkedIn profile tips for college students and teaches how to maximize the platform's exceptional capabilities. Review the guide below:
5. How to Use LinkedIn as a College Student

BONUS: After creating your profile and adding El Camino College as part of your education section, check out El Camino College’s LinkedIn page and utilize the alumni tool to reach out to current students and alumni to expand your network! See Informational Interviewing section on how to approach individuals to connect with. 

The possibilities of LinkedIn are more than can be explained on a single page. We suggest creating your profile, check out LinkedIn for Students, the El Camino College LinkedIn page, and make an appointment with a career counselor to talk about how else Linkedin can help you in your career journey.

Additional Resources about LinkedIn

Three ways you can get started on LinkedIn today

LINKEDIN LEARNING: Rock Your LinkedIn Profile

Building Your Network In A Virtual World

Why LinkedIn Recommendations and Endorsements Should Matter To You

Resourcres to learn about Interviewing

• Your Ultimate Guide to Answering the Most Common Interview Questions - The Muse
• Types of questions during an interview
• Interview Cheat Sheet
• Skills Quick Reference - from CareerNZ
• Top 50 Interview Questions
• OC Career Cafe - Interview - How to Shine (the STAR Method)
• Using PARLA to Frame Your Interview Answers 

 

The most common way for job searching is through online job boards. We recommend that as you search through job boards that you utilize the other methods of networking, informational interviewing, volunteering, and LinkedIn. Only by taking multiple efforts to connect and apply do you increase your chances of obtaining a desired position.

Job Speaker	Browse through El Camino College’s easy and interactive job board site to find the perfect employee/employer. El Camino College makes no recommendations or guarantees regarding employers or employees. We are acting as a referral service only and provide these links only as a convenience. El Camino College assumes no liability for acts of omissions by third parties or for material supplied by them. No personal or private employment (babysitting, caregiver, roommate, volunteer) postings are accepted.
	OC Career Cafe Find a Match Worksheet
	THE JOB-SEARCH RESOURCES STUDENTS USE, FIND MOST USEFUL by NACE Staff
	Another job and internship search resource for college students. Be sure to check out their entry-level job seeker advice. More Job Seeker Advice from College Recruiter