We’ve gotten a lot of advice on what to do and what not to do on the job hunt. We should only have a one-page resume, with spare copies in hand. We should dress in our best clothes. We should try to stand out, but not stand out too much ­– we wouldn’t want to make a bad impression. We’re getting a lot of advice from a lot of different sources, so what should we believe?

http://www.cnn.com/2010/LIVING/worklife/03/31/cb.job.search.myths/?hpt=Mid

This article on CNN.com talks about job search myths that we haven’t considered before. What do you think of what the article has to say? How does it compare with the other advice we’ve received and how will you apply it to your job search?

Having Your Say

All right, so you have all been forced to read my ideas about the state of journalism today, how to produce good resume materials, interview for jobs, and so on. Now comes your turn. For the rest of the semester, I'm asking you to submit your own blog writings for posting here on "Your Senior Seminar." They can be about anything related to journalism, the job search, the future of media, etc. For this week, I will select one blog to post on Monday morning, which doesn't give you much time. The deadline to send me your proposed blog is Sunday night at 9 p.m. As an incentive, the blog selected will result in extra credit for the writer on her/his final average for this class. If it's good enough, your blog could mean the difference between your numerical average for the course and the next highest grade. So, get blogging, people!

A Generation Gap in the Workplace

In an article titled "Uncommon Threads: Mending the Generation Gap at Work," Anderson University professor Brad Sago writes:

"Having difficulty understanding the perspective, work habits, and communication styles of those in another age group is common in the workplace. The challenge may come from interactions with your boss, an employee, co-worker, client, or even a vendor. As with other diversity issues, such as age, gender, ethnicity, and race, examining and understanding generations has become an increasingly important part of maximizing organizational effectiveness."

Read the full article, found at: http://www.asaecenter.org/PublicationsResources/articledetail.cfm?ItemNumber=13100

Do you agree or disagree with the article's major points? What do you see as the biggest differences between your generation and previous generations? How do those differences create challenges in today's workplace?

The Job Interview

One of the most nerve-wracking aspects of the job search for many of us is the face-to-face job interview. It's the goal of your resume, cover letter, and portfolio to prompt a phone call from a potential employer asking you to come in for the interview, but how do prepare? What questions can you expect to be asked? How should you answer? What should you wear? These are all aspects of preparation for the job interview. For those of you who already have experience in job interviews, what has that experience taught you that might be helpful to others? For those who have had limited experience in job interviews, what would be most helpful to know before you meet with a potential employer?

Ask a Professional

What are your biggest unanswered questions about the job search process? Do they involve lingering doubts about how to approach or refine your resume? How about what to include in your portfolio or how to dress for a job interview? All these are areas we will continue to discuss for the rest of the semester, but this Tuesday, February 23rd, you will have an opportunity to ask a professional for her views. Our guest is Kathy Curtis of CBS radio, known here in Tampa Bay as the morning drive personality of WSJT, Smooth Jazz 98.7.

In advance of Tuesday's class, please acquaint yourself with Kathy's biography and background. Obviously, this can be researched on-line. Then, by no later than 10 a.m. that morning, post at least two specific questions that you would like Kathy to answer in class.

Hopefully, this is the start of a number of "Ask a Professional" sessions we will have before semester's end!

Writing an Effective Cover Letter

This week you begin learning the art of writing an effective cover letter. Along with your resume, the cover letter is one of the ways in which you make a strong case for an employer to interview you. There are many approaches to composing a cover letter, but most suggest that its most important aspect is how you begin. Should you tell a compelling personal anecdote, a story that helps define you? Some employment experts endorse this approach. Read what the Poynter website has to say about cover letters:

http://www.poynter.org/column.asp?id=77&aid=164873

What do you think? Is there a personal story you can tell in your cover letter that will help draw your reader into the narrative?

The Job Search: Where Do You Begin?

How do you find your first job? Where do you look? What are the major media sites for posting jobs? How about for entry level, as opposed to mid-level jobs? The suggestion has been made by Megan that we spend a class in our news lab looking at different job posting sites to see what they have to offer and evaluate how useful they are for new (or soon to be) graduates. What process are you currently using to search for a job after graduation? No doubt it involves visiting certain websites. What are they? Why do you think they're helpful (or not)? As part of your post, be sure to include the URL of your favorite sites. If you don't have any favorite sites, use this as an opportunity to explore what's out there and include your findings in the post.