Tag: tips and tricks

Categories
Resumes

Grad Student resume cleanup: 8 ways for grad students to sharpen their resumes

Here’s what you should take OFF your resume to stay competitive

👉 It’s almost the end of the year: time to give your resume a good cleanup!

A person's hands holding a resume against an empty table top
Need to know where to get started editing your resume? Try these 8 things.

When you think about improving your resume, your first instinct might be to add to it: more experience, more skills, more words. But sometimes, removing things is even better. The best resumes are succinct, easy to read, and quickly show employers why you’re the best candidate.  

We polled our team of career advisors – here are the top things you should be taking off your resume. 

  1. Your physical address. These days, most recruiting communication is done by phone or email, and a mailing address is not needed. Include just a city and state instead.
  2. Dual columns. Stick to a simple resume format. If the employer is using automated job application software known as an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to process your resume, the ATS might fail to properly scan a two-column resume, and your resume could get rejected! See our library of sample resumes for examples of good one-column resume formats, or the VMock resume tool for pre-formatted templates. 
  3. All the details of your academic career. Applying to jobs in academia? You need a CV: a full, multi-page record that lists all your academic accomplishments. Applying to a job in private industry? Do not submit a CV! You need to create a resume: a tailored snapshot that explains why you’re the best candidate for this particular job. Learn more about CVs, resumes, and how to compare and convert between the two.
  4. An objective statement. Including a statement about the kind of job you’re looking for is no longer a common resume practice. You can leave this off or replace it with a Professional Summary section. If you do include this, let the job description guide you. Keep your summary short (2-3 sentences) and tailor it to the job you are applying for. Use this space to showcase how your unique combination of skills and experiences makes you the best candidate for this particular job.
    • Stumped? Try taking some of your relevant resume bullets along with the job description, and prompting an AI tool to help you draft a summary statement, then edit the best version it produces yourself. Remember: never upload personally identifying information like your full resume to ChatGPT or other AI tools.
    • See AI prompting tips to help in your job search
  5. References. If an employer wants references, they’ll ask for them separately; don’t make your resume longer by listing them. The exception to this rule is a federal or government resume, when references must be included. 
  6. Personal information. In some countries, it is common to include personal details like sex, gender, age, marital status or religion on a resume – leave those off when applying for jobs in the U.S. 
  7. Photos. Keep the focus on your qualifications; including a photo of yourself on your resume is unnecessary. Automated job application software may also mistakenly reject resumes that include elements like graphics or images.
  8. A quirky email address. Your email address should be simple, professional, and easy to associate with your name (not a nickname, hobby or online handle). Your OSU email address is a good choice until after graduation. If you’re about to graduate, make sure you plan ahead and create a personal, professional email address. 

đŸ€ Need resume help? Make an appointment, get instant resume feedback with OSU’s VMock online resume tool, or explore our resume resources online. 

Categories
Resumes

Resume clean-up: 8 things to take off your resume. Yes, off.

Ditch these outdated details to streamline your resume

When you think about improving your resume, your first thought might be to add to it: more experience, more skills, more words. But sometimes, removing things can be just as effective. The best resumes are succinct, easy to read, and quickly show employers why you’re the best candidate for their job.  

We polled our team of career advisors – here are the top things you should be taking off your resume. 

Can you spot the mistakes in this person’s resume template?

  1. Your high school diploma. Once you’re in college, only list your completed or in-progress college degrees in the education section of your resume. 
  1. Dual columns. Stick to a simple resume format. If the employer is using automated job application software known as an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) to process your resume, the ATS might fail to properly scan a two-column resume, and your resume could get rejected because the ATS couldn’t read it! See our library of sample resumes for examples of good one-column resume formats, or use the VMock resume tool for pre-formatted templates. 
  1. Your physical address. These days, most recruiting communication is done by phone or email and a mailing address is not needed. Include just a city and state instead. 
  2. A quirky email address. Your email address should be simple, professional, and easy to associate with your name (not a nickname, hobby or online handle). Your OSU email address is a good choice until after graduation. If you’re about to graduate, make sure you plan ahead and create a personal, professional email address. 
  3. References. If an employer wants references, they’ll ask for them separately; don’t make your resume longer by listing them. The exception to this rule is a federal or government resume, when references must be included. 
  4. Personal information. In some countries, it is common to include personal details like sex, gender, age, marital status or religion on a resume – leave those off when applying for jobs in the U.S. 
  5. An objective statement. Including a statement about the kind of job you’re looking for is no longer a common resume practice. You can leave this off or replace it with a Professional Summary section. If you do include this, let the job description guide you. Keep your summary short (2-3 sentences) and tailor it to the job you are applying for. Use this space to showcase how your unique combination of skills and experiences makes you the best candidate for this particular job. 
    • Stumped? Try taking some of your relevant resume bullets along with the job description, and prompting an AI tool to help you draft a summary statement, then edit the best version it produces yourself. Remember: never upload personally identifying information like your full resume to ChatGPT or other AI tools.
    • See AI prompting tips to help in your job search.
  6. Photos. Keep the focus on your qualifications; including a photo of yourself on your resume is unnecessary. Automated job application software may also mistakenly reject resumes that include elements like graphics or images. 

Need resume help? Make an appointment, get instant resume feedback with OSU’s VMock online resume tool, or explore our resume and CV resources online. 

Categories
Job Search

No job yet? No problem.

10 action steps Oregon State students can take now

Nine small white paper airplanes against a bright white background. The tenth paper airplane is bright orange and soaring upward.
  1. Join professional organizations related to your field. If broad professional sites like LinkedIn feel overwhelming, dial in your efforts by focusing on sites specifically related to the field you want to enter. Professional organizations are good for networking opportunities, and many associated have job boards; most also have free or lower-cost membership rates for students.
    • Not sure which orgs to join? Here are a few ways to get started:
      • Ask your professor or OSU career advisor for advice.
      • Browse OSU’s list of organizations with the “academic & professional” filter turned on.
      • Do a search for “XXXX industry here + professional organizations.”
  2. Know who’s hiring now. Get familiar with typical hiring timelines – if you need a job now, jobs in government or academia, which have longer lead times, won’t be your best bet. (Learn more about academic job searching and typical academic timelines). What are some private industries that interest you?
  3. Don’t rule out short-term work. Internships, seasonal or short term work can be a good bridge to the next phase of your career. You’re still adding to your resume, earning income and building your network even if it’s not a long-term position.
    • Handshake is a job board focused on college students and recent grads; it’s a good spot to look for internships and seasonal positions.
    • AmeriCorps, City Year, the Peace Corps and other service organizations offer one- or two-year programs where students can gain experience before pursuing longer-term employment.
    • Parker-Dewey offers paid micro-internships: anywhere from 5 to 40 hours per week of work, with many opportunities that can be completed remotely.
  4. Focus on skills, not just just job titles. Ask a career advisor or an AI tool to help you analyze your resume for transferable skills. Are there jobs you’re qualified for that you’ve been missing out on?
    • Suppose you’ve been thinking of being a park ranger, which requires skills like “promoting environmental conservation” and “communicating well with diverse groups of people.” What other jobs need those skills? Can you search for job listings based on skills rather than titles?
    • If your long-term goal is to join an industry that’s currently facing a hiring freeze or downturn, don’t be deterred from taking other work until your dream industry bounces back. For example, if you’ve been looking for jobs in the federal government, use our government agency mapping tool to find similar job listings in state or local government agencies.
  5. Tap into your Oregon State network. Through the OSU Alumni Association you can join OSU Connections, an OSU-specific professional network with 5,000+ members, for free.
    • Get tips on how to ask OSU alumni in industries you’re interested in for advice and job leads, including good questions to ask and email scripts you can use when you’re reaching out.
    • You can also join the OSU-specific LinkedIn group: Beaver Careers.
  6. Upskill with purpose. Not getting jobs? Do a skills inventory and analyze your gaps.
    • Not sure what skills you lack? Ask AI to help you analyze. Sample prompts could include: “What are the top skills for a programmer? For a _____?.”
    • You can also supply a sample job listing you are interested in as well as your current resume (make sure to remove your personally identifying information, such as your name, email and address, before uploading), and then ask your favorite AI tool to perform a skills gap analysis.
    • Take advantage of an AI-assisted appointment at the Career Development Center and use the combination of skilled human plus a custom AI tool that’s been trained on OSU-specific career resources.
    • Once you know where you need to grow, use LinkedIn Learning while it’s still free to you as an OSU student to build up your resume.
  7. Train your algorithms. Follow organizations you like on Handshake and LinkedIn, favorite jobs you like, and set up alerts for job categories you are interested in so you are the first to know when new jobs are posted.
  8. Revisit your priorities and broaden your scope. Which is more important right now – high pay OR staying close to your romantic partner or your family? Working in a dream location OR landing a job in a dream industry? Chase after your most important goal in your first job, then after you’ve gained a little experience, you can land a job that nails multiple values.
    • Focus2 is a career assessment tool that’s free to Oregon State students; it can help you think through your values if you’re not sure what you’re looking for in your first job.
  9. Get expert advice. The Career Development Center, OSU-Cascades Career Center, and the OSU Alumni Association offer career events and workshops every month that are focused on helping you build career skills and build your network.
  10. Don’t panic: you’ve got this! Job searching can be stressful, but you’re not alone. Take a breath, take action, and reach out—we’re here to help. 
Categories
Career Fair

Career fair conversation starters

Our best tips for how to strike up a conversation at any networking event

Benny the Beaver is GREAT at networking at career fairs!

Career fairs are a great chance to make a good first impression on potential employers — they’re looking for potential new hires or interns, and you’re looking for companies you want to work for. The But what if you get nervous at a crucial moment and don’t know what to say? We’ve got you covered! Here are some lines you can use at your next career fair or other networking event.

Short & simple convo starters

  • It’s classic for a reason: say hello, then share your name and what you’re studying. “Hi there! I’m Aiden, and I’m studying Spanish and Business Administration.”
  • Ask about the other person:
    • How is your day going today?
    • Have you been to one of OSU’s career fairs before?
  • Ask about something on the booth or table:
    • Do you mind if I grab one of these flyers?
    • I love these giveaway items you have!”
  • Ask about their organization: “Could you tell me more about (Name of _____)?

Questions about the company

  • What kinds of roles are you looking to fill?
  • What stands out to you with new hires coming out of college?
  • What are some things your team is working on right now?

Questions about the other person

  • What do you like about working at ____?
  • How did you get started in this industry?
  • What advice would you have for someone just starting out in this field?

Exit strategies

When you’re ready to say goodbye and need a graceful way to end the conversation, try these:

  • Thanks for taking the time to talk to me! Have a good rest of your day.
  • Do you have any business cards I could take with me?
  • Thanks for all the info! I hope the rest of the career fair goes well for you.
  • (If you brought resumes with you) Do you mind if I drop a resume off with you? I’d love to hear about any openings if they would be a good fit for me.

All about you: The Elevator Pitch

If you have time to practice a bit before a career fair or networking event, spend a little time polishing a short statement that tells people who you are and what you’re looking for. People call this the Elevator Pitch.

The basic formula is: Who you are + what makes you stand out + what you want to achieve.

Your elevator pitch should be no more than 30-60 seconds; something you can easily remember and feel comfortable saying when you are introducing yourself.

  • Start with the basics. “Hi, my name is Sam, and I’m studying graphic design.” “I’m Mariana, and working on a degree in computer science.”
  • Add a little bit more about yourself and your interests.
    • Is there anything you’ve done in college or in work that has stood out for you? “I’m taking a course in branding right now, and I’m finding out that I really love the strategic side of design work.” Or “I have been able to take part in undergraduate research through the URSA program at OSU, and I think I really want to pursue something that lets me do more research.”
  • Then add a little more about what you’re interested in: “I’m hoping to find a summer internship,” or “I’m still trying to figure out what I really want to do after college.”

Learn more about elevator pitches and networking strategies.

Find out about Oregon State’s upcoming career fairs.

Categories
interviews

Use AI to Ace Your Job Interview: Tips & Sample Prompts

Have you ever wished you had a list of interview questions you could practice with before an upcoming job interview? Something a little more specific and useful than the generic lists of commonly asked questions you can find online? 

Good news – while you may not be able to generate an exact list of the questions your interviewer will ask, AI-based Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT or Microsoft CoPilot can help you get pretty close; they can even conduct a mock interview for you! Here are some tips and sample prompts to help you get started.

A set of hands types on a laptop. ChatGPT is on the laptop screen.
AI tools like ChatGPT can be a helpful way to practice before your job interview.

An important note: Remember that LLMs should be used as research tools and thinking partners, nothing more. ChatGPT has been known to provide false or biased information; you should not rely on it to create entire interview answers for you. In addition, default settings allow everything you provide to ChatGPT to be used in training the model. To ensure your confidentiality, do not upload any personal information. Consider disabling the “Chat History” feature. 

Give the AI tool context about your interview.

Tools like ChatGPT are most effective when you give them specific information to work with! Try the following prompts:

I am applying for the following job [copy and paste job description here]. Based on this job description, what are 10 questions I am likely to be asked in an interview? 

Please analyze the following job description [copy and paste job description here]. What are the skills & experiences that are most important for this position, and what questions are likely to come up in a job interview?  

A note: If you didn’t save the job description and the posting is no longer live, try using a combination of the specific role, company name, or industry.

I am applying for a [job title here] role at [company name or name of industry]. What are the questions I am most likely to be asked in a job interview?

Ask the AI tool to give you a variety of question types.

Most interviews will include a mix of questions about your technical skills (what you know how to do) and your “soft skills” – delving into things like teamwork, communication, or critical thinking. These are usually called technical questions and behavioral questions. Some sample prompts:

I’m applying for a [title here] internship in the [specific department] at [name of company]. Please give me some examples of technical questions and behavioral questions that will come up in the interview.

If you have the job description available, ask the AI tool to analyze it for you and tell you what technical skills and soft skills you should come prepared to talk about.

I’m applying for this job [copy and paste job description]. Please analyze it and tell me which technical skills and personal skills are most important, then provide me with some technical and behavioral interview questions.

Ask the AI tool for feedback.

Once the tool has given you some possible questions, you can brainstorm answers. Then, continue the conversation by asking for feedback on what you have planned.

Here is my answer to the following question [question here]. [write in your answer]. Assume you are the hiring manager for this role and give me some feedback on my answer. What stood out to you? What could I have done better?

Ask the AI tool to conduct an interview with you.

Use your OSU ID to log in to LinkedIn Learning and then watch this video that will show you sample prompts for using ChatGPT as a career coach to conduct a mock interview for you!

A divided image with one half of the screen showing a transcript of a ChatGPT conversation and the other half showing a person using a laptop. An icon of a video play button is superimposed over the image.

More interview prep resources

Need more help getting ready for your interview? Take advantage of these resources at Oregon State University.

Categories
Resumes

Job search hack: create a summary resume

Close up of a person's hands resting on a tabletop holding a single-page resume.

Have you ever seen a job you wanted to apply for, but felt paralyzed because customizing your resume to fit the position would take too much time? Here’s a hack to make resume updates easier: create a summary resume.

Summary resume: what it is

A summary resume is a master document that lists all of the potential items you might ever want to include on any version of your resume. This version of your resume is not one you’ll ever actually submit – it’s a back-end version just for you.

Include all your past jobs, all of your volunteer experiences, any leadership position you’ve ever held, any award you’ve ever won. It doesn’t matter how long this document is; this is your personal repository of everything career-related, an archive you can pull from whenever a new job opportunity comes along.

Why create a summary resume?

Rachel Palmer, the career advisor for OSU’s College of Science, likes to describe creating a summary resume as stocking the shelves of your personal grocery store.

“You’re getting everything ready. It’s all written. You’re good to go. You don’t have to remember those details later,” she says. “And then when you find a job, it’s going to tell you in the position description what they’re looking for. That becomes your grocery list. Then you just go back to your store, pick the things that demonstrate those qualities, and you curate it into your submittable resume.”

Rachel Palmer, Assistant Director of Career Development

It’s a trick that takes a little time on the front end, but can save you hours in the future. Once you have your summary, save it and add to it whenever you complete a major project, get a promotion, or start a new role.

What to add to your summary resume

Not sure what to put on your summary resume? Here are some tips to get you started:

Learn from experts about how to create a master resume document to pull from.

Categories
Job Search

Focused job search tools for OSU students

A person in a yellow sweater and jeans balances a laptop in their lap and a phone in their hand. A graphic of a browser search bar is superimposed over the top of the image.

Job searching can be time consuming – instead of spending hours scrolling, use these suggested tools to focus your search on specific industries, companies, and areas.

Find jobs just for college students & recent grads

Handshake is a national job board and search tool that focuses just on internships and early-career opportunities. When employers post jobs to Handshake, they are specifically looking for college students, so you won’t be stuck in a sea of jobs with 5 years of experience already required.

  • Handshake is already connected to your Oregon State account, so it loads basic information like your major, and will automatically surface jobs in your industry. Build your profile further by specifying your interests, activities, and work history. 
  • Change your profile settings so that you are visible to employers (student profiles are set to private by default, and it’s up to you to choose who can view yours).
  • Use Handshake’s custom filters to save alerts for jobs in specific locations or types to find relevant job opportunities. 
  • Search keywords, not job titles. If you’re interested in a job that’s somehow related to “marketing” or “sustainability” but aren’t picky about specific job titles, do a keyword search on your filtered jobs. Handshake will search all text in both job titles and descriptions to find matches.
  • Save jobs that catch your eye even if you’re not ready to apply. Handshake will then show you similar jobs the next time you log in. It will also send you reminders about deadlines for jobs you’ve saved.

Learn more about job search tools on Handshake.

Find employers close to you

The Buzzfile’s Employer by Major tool is an indexing service of top employers that sorts by size, location, and industry. If you know you will be spending the summer near your hometown, or you want to move to specific city after graduation, use Buzzfile to search for employers that hire people from your major. Then make a list of your top companies, check their websites for job postings, and begin networking with them. 

If you’re a student at the Corvallis or Cascades campuses and you want to focus your job search on Oregon, try the site QualityInfo.org. It’s a tool created by the Oregon Employment Department with Oregon-focused job listing and industry data. Mac’s List is specific to the Northwest. Many other states also have state-specific job boards run by their employment department.

Find employers specific to your industry

While job tools like Handshake, Indeed and LinkedIn are great for broad searches, to narrow your search you can try more niche job boards that focus on specific industries.

USAJobs is the site for federal government jobs, so if you’re looking for positions with the Department of Fish and Wildlife, NASA, FBI, Department of Energy, or many others, look here.

State, county and local governments (State of California, for example) typically post jobs on their own websites.

Nonprofit jobs: Idealist and Work for Good are examples of places to look for nonprofit jobs. The Nonprofit Association of Oregon is a regional database for nonprofit work opportunities.

Faculty/academic jobs: Chronicle Vitae, a service of the Chronicle of Higher Education, is a hub for graduate level, faculty, research and other academic positions.

Many professional associations have college chapters at OSU, including the American Institute of Aeronautics, Associated General Contractors of America, The Forest Stewards Guild, the Society of Healthcare Executives, and more. Use the OSU Clubs database and sort by category “academic and professional” to find an association in an industry you’re interested in, then reach out to learn about networking and job possibilities.

Get jobs sent to you

You don’t have time to visit all these job boards every day, so make them work for you. Most job sites allow you to set up job alerts that will do the work for you, emailing you when a new job that fits your criteria pops up.

Categories
Campus Jobs Job Search

Five steps to finding a job on campus

A student cashier in a uniform rings up an order at Cascadia Market, OSU's on-campus grocery store, for a fellow student wearing a flannel shirt and backpack. Shelves of grocery items are visible in the background.

Hundreds of students find employment in on-campus jobs like working as cashiers in on-campus markets and restaurants.

An on-campus job is a great way to earn money, and also to gain skills and experience that will boost your resume when you’re ready to launch your career. On-campus jobs are typically flexible and will allow you to schedule your work shifts around your classes.

Student employment ranges from general support jobs that are applicable to students in any major (working in dining centers, office assistants, custodial positions) to jobs that are more specialized and may require certain skill sets (some lab and research positions, web and graphic designers, teaching assistants).

Here’s how to find a campus job:

  1. Check the Oregon State jobs portal. Go to jobs.oregonstate.edu and click on “Student Employment Opportunities.” You can filter by department or search by keyword such as “research” or “marketing.” New jobs are posted frequently and updated throughout the year.
  2. Prepare a resume. Once you have found a job you’re interested in, tailor your resume to highlight any experience or skills that might be relevant to the position. If this is your first job, that’s perfectly fine! Skills and knowledge gained you’ve gained through coursework, group projects, volunteering, sports and clubs are all relevant for student employment, and Oregon State offers numerous ways for students to get help translating those skills onto a resume:
    1. Get resume tips from the OSU Career Guide online.
    2. Get instant feedback from OSU’s online resume help system, Vmock.
    3. Meet one-on-one with a Career Assistant (a peer advisor) or a Career Advisor (a professional staff member who works with students in specific colleges or majors).
    4. Read our tips for adding classroom experience to your resume.
  3. Apply online. The Oregon State jobs portal will prompt you to create an online account to submit your application. You can email the Student Employment team for help if you have any difficulties with the jobs portal.
  4. Practice interviewing. Sitting down in front of a prospective employer and talking about yourself can feel awkward – taking time to practice beforehand helps!
    1. Check out sample interview questions listed on the Career Development Center’s website, and recruit a friend, roommate or family member to do a practice session.
    2. Do an online, interactive practice interview with OSU’s virtual interview prep tool, StandOut.
    3. Schedule an interview prep session with a Career Assistant or Career Advisor.
  5. Follow up. Leaving a positive final impression matters; thank the person who interviews you, both at the end of the interview, and again within 24 hours via email.
Categories
Job Search Networking

A guide to LinkedIn for college students

Five ways to maximize LinkedIn

A person wearing pink pants holds a smartphone on their lap. The screen shows the LinkedIn logo.

Are you making the most of LinkedIn? As of 2023, it’s the 16th-largest website in the world (just two spots below Tiktok!), and it’s also a completely free way to build an online presence that can boost your job or internship search.

Check out these five ways you can maximize LinkedIn to achieve your career goals.

Step one: create a profile.

Think of your profile as a digital version of your resume – it’s a place to show off who you are and the skills you can bring to a new organization. 

Don’t think that because you’re still in college, you don’t have anything to add. Even if you don’t have extensive work experience, or you’re in the middle of changing careers, you can highlight the skills you’ve gained just being a student. 

Start simple: begin with your name, a profile photo, and what you’re studying at OSU, then build it up from there. Here’s how to get started.

Step two: make connections.

Even if you’re not looking for a job today, you will be someday. Build a network now so that when you need a job, you have a ready-made community you can turn to for introductions or tips on job openings. 

First, search LinkedIn for people you already know: friends, co-workers, past bosses, professors, and advisors. Don’t forget current classmates – they’ll be a valuable network for you in the future.

Then, reach out to people you WANT to know. It’s normal and acceptable to send a connection invite to OSU alumni or people with jobs you find interesting. Try to find a point of common ground, such as a shared interest or a mutual acquaintance, and personalize your request.

  • How to connect with OSU alumni:
    1. Find Oregon State on LinkedIn and click on the alumni tab. Use the search tool to find alumni from your college or major, or who are working at companies you’re interested in, then send them a personalized connection request.
  • Sample connection invitations you can modify:
    1. Hi Xiomara – I am currently a senior studying mechanical engineering at Oregon State and hope to enter the aerospace industry upon graduation. I noticed that you are an OSU graduate with experience in this industry. I would love to connect with you and learn more about your career path. Thanks in advance! – Phuong Quynh
    2. Hi Mikayla – I am currently studying graphic design at Oregon State University and hope to work for a creative agency one day. I loved your recent post about the brand redesign you did for XYZ client – it was fascinating to hear your behind-the-scenes process. I’d love to connect and learn more about how you got started in this field. – Elliott Hashimoto
    3. More sample connection templates

Step three: talk to others.

Once you’ve joined LinkedIn, you can increase your visibility by staying active. Even if you just post an update or comment on others’ posts once a month or so, you’re building a reputation as a positive member of an online community.

  • Join a group. Just like other social platforms, there are subgroups on LinkedIn for all kinds of interests. Enter a keyword related to your major or potential career in the search bar at the top, then click “groups” to filter your search results. Tip: Start by joining the Beaver Careers Group.
  • Share personal updates. You could post about a project you just completed for class or write about a small victory: “Just finished my last final! This term was tough but I loved my horticulture class – I learned so much about plant identification!”
  • Re-post an article you liked and take advantage of LinkedIn’s “repost with your thoughts” button to add a sentence or two about why you found it interesting.
  • Here are 10 more LinkedIn post ideas.

Step four: Advance your skills.

As an OSU student, you have access to a free LinkedIn Learning account. There are more than 18,000 online classes you can take to gain new skills and earn certifications you can post on your profile. Here’s how to log in to OSU’s LinkedIn Learning.

Not sure which courses to take? Do a search for jobs you might be interested in, then look at the qualifications listed. Are you missing anything? LinkedIn Learning might have a class you could take to fill in that gap. It’s a great (and free!) way to build on what you’re learning at OSU. Check out courses related to business, technology, and creative skills.

Step five: Get job alerts.

Your LinkedIn profile is also the key to an enormous job posting network. Instead of browsing through individual listings, use the platform’s automated tools to get notified about jobs that would be a good fit for you. 

  • Make sure that you’ve added skills to your profile (these could be personal skills like communication or teamwork, or skills specific to your field, like Python coding or market research). LinkedIn will use your listed skills to auto-suggest jobs for you every time you log in.
  • To set up job alerts based on your own preferences, click “Jobs” from the LinkedIn top menu bar, then select “preferences” and “job alerts.” 
  • You can also search for a job on LinkedIn, and then filter the results for things like job type (full-time, part-time, internship), job location, and experience level.

Want to learn more about LinkedIn?

Use these videos to make your LinkedIn presence even better.

Rock your LinkedIn profile

Using AI to help create your LinkedIn profile

Categories
Success Stories

Negotiation 101: career tips help an OSU grad land his dream job

Adam Sibley kneels on a riverbank holding a large fish.
Adam Sibley, an OSU graduate student in the College of Forestry, found a career combining his love of the outdoors with his skills in data.

Adam Sibley’s done a lot of things in his career: earned a PhD. Maintained climate stations in remote tropical rainforests. Co-authored peer-reviewed publications.

One thing he’d never done until this year? Negotiated a salary offer.

“Job interviewing and negotiating in particular make me very nervous,” Adam said.

That’s where meeting with his OSU career advisor, Britt Hoskins, came in. She provided tips that eased his doubts and helped him negotiate a competitive job offer with a company doing cutting-edge work in his field.

Step 1: Landing a job offer

Adam earned his PhD in plant ecophysiology from OSU in 2021 and then stayed on as a post-doc research associate with the College of Forestry’s Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society. Through his time at OSU and in previous jobs, he built up a unique skillset that focuses on the technical side of plant science.

“I found out about myself that what I am best at is working with electronics and hardware. Also software, writing code, working with equations. There is a place for people with those skillsets in plant sciences,” he said. “A lot of people in this field don’t really do the scripting stuff that I do.”

His expertise left him well-positioned when a friend of a friend reached out to him on LinkedIn and asked if he might be interested in a job with Chloris Geospatial, a Boston-based start-up that aims to impact the climate crisis by providing companies with cutting-edge climate data analysis.

He was thrilled when he was offered the job – it gave him a chance to continue his work in satellite image analysis and data science, plus it would allow him to move back to the east coast, where he is originally from. But he felt very unsure of how to ask for what he wanted after receiving the job offer.

Step 2: Asking for help

Luckily, he already knew Britt Hoskins, career advisor for the College of Forestry; she’d helped him adapt his academic CV to a rĂ©sumĂ© for a job in the private sector. He made an appointment with her again to talk through his negotiation questions. 

“Negotiating for a salary feels awkward. It almost made me feel ungrateful,” Adam said. “And I was thinking, ‘How am I going to negotiate with a CEO? I’ve never even talked to one before!’ But she prepared me for the negotiating process and it all worked out exactly how she said it would.”

Two takeaways that were key for Adam:

It’s okay to ask for what you want.

In his case, that was a delayed start date. His original offer included a start date of July 1, but he wanted to remain at OSU until August to wrap up his current work. Britt assured him that this was not an unreasonable request.

“When I told her what I had in mind, she said it was completely okay – they might say no, but I should still ask. She gave me the moral support that was very needed,” he said. 

Salary negotiation is normal, expected and typically follows a standard process.

Adam was worried that salary negotiation might involve a tense back-and-forth conversation in which he’d have to make a case for himself on the spot. Britt walked him through what a typical salary negotiation process looks like, and provided advice on a reasonable counter offer for his career field and level of experience. 

Her salary negotiation tips:

  1. Let the company provide you with a salary number first.
  2. When you receive it, tell them thank you and wait a day before responding.
  3. Follow up with your counter-offer and a short justification.
  4. Let them respond to your counter-offer.

“Without her advice, I would not have known that was the protocol,” Adam said. “She gave me really good advice and helped me find a reasonable target.”

Step 3: Nailing the negotiation

The result? He got the job, with a salary higher than the company’s initial offer, and the freedom to wrap up his work at OSU before starting his new job.

His tips to other students in the job market? Don’t be afraid to go after what you want, and seek out advice when you need it.

“Just talking things through with people is one of the most important things you can do. There are a lot of things about jobs that aren’t rocket science and that you already know – it’s the doubt that is the problem,” he said. “It helps to have someone talk to who will tell you, ‘Yes, you can do that!’”

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