The document provides advice and resources for Notre Dame seniors regarding job searching and entering the corporate world. It congratulates those who have accepted offers and provides tips on networking, etiquette, responding to unethical situations, and asking for promotions. Potential annoyances of corporate life are outlined as well as advice to be humble, honest, and respectful as one starts their career. Job search sites and databases are listed to aid in the process.

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JOB SEARCH STRATEGIES
FOR SENIORS The University of Notre Dame Career Center
248 Flanner Hall – (574) 631-5200 – ndcps@nd.edu
careercenter.nd.edu

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CONGRATULATIONS SENIORS!
Congratulations to the Seniors
who have already accepted a job offer!
The Career Center is so proud of your
hard work, effort, and continued success!

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IF YOU HAVE ACCEPTED…
 Please take some time to sign into GoIRISH to update your
future plans for the University Database.
 Select your Profile then Placements & fill in your new employment
information

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HOW DO I GET STARTED?
 Be humble
 Be realistic
 Be honest
 Be respectful of your boss’ time
 Be self-sufficient
 Be friendly
 Be a can-do employee
 Be flexible
 Be open-minded
 Be organized
 Have respect for your peers
 Learn from those who have been there
before you
 Expand your business networks
 Get to know your supervisor early
 Fine tune your writing, speaking, and
listening skills
 Manage your time strategically
 Choose a win-win attitude
 Learn to handle criticism with class
 Recruit a mentor
 Dress for success

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TOP TEN ANNOYING THINGS
ABOUT THE CORPORATE
WORLD1. CORPORATE DÉJÀ VU You spend huge amounts of time reporting the same
information and hearing it repeatedly at meetings.
2. INVOKING SYNDROME Colleagues try to persuade you to do what they want by
name-dropping someone higher up.
3. EGOMANIA Certain people reach a high level in a company and they think they are better
than others.
4. HIERARCHIES In the corporate world, all are not created equal and sometimes you can get
in trouble just by talking with someone higher up without going through the correct channels.
5. DENIGRATION In some companies, it’s an unspoken rule that the younger you are, the
less respect you receive.
“They Don’t Teach Corporate in College” by Alexandra Levit

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TOP TEN ANNOYING THINGS
ABOUT THE CORPORATE
WORLD6. BUREAUCRACY The corporate world has a lengthy approval process for
everything, so you’re never sure which department you need to consult before a decision is made.
7. HYPOCRISY Sometimes you can act on your company’s values and get burned for it.
8. MICROMANAGEMENT Twenty-somethings thrive on independence, yet some
managers will bear down on you with critical eyes at every stage of a project.
9. UNCOMMON SENSE Sometimes the obviously correct way to do something is
staring everyone in the face and not everyone sees it. Common sense is dead in the corporate world.
10. NONSENSICAL CHANGE Despite the fact that reorganization results in mass
confusion, decreased productivity, and low employee morale, companies continue to do it year
after year.
“They Don’t Teach Corporate in College” by Alexandra Levit

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ADVICE REGARDING ETIQUETTE
 Don’t spread gossip
 Don’t swear
 Don’t be politically incorrect
 Don’t talk about sex, drugs, or
politics
 Mind cultural sensitivities
 Don’t share secrets
 Deliver what you promise
 Complement your co-workers

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UNETHICAL CONDUCT?
HOW TO RESPOND…
Honesty is the best policy! Take Action.
Four Steps to Solving a Problem:
1. Define the problem
2. Generate as many possible
solutions as possible
3. Evaluate each possible solution
and choose the best alternative
based on the pros and cons
4. Implement the chosen solution

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ARE WE SUPPOSED TO ASK FOR
A PROMOTION?
People who want to be promoted maintain a strong
corporate persona, proactively set goals, confront and solve
problems, communicate effectively, and greet challenges with a positive
attitude. They also do the following:
1. Perform at a high level
2. Demonstrate leadership skills
3. Keep free of baggage and skirmishes
4. Position themselves as agents of change who support current company
policies while also embracing future opportunities
5. Seek to expand their influence and challenges by broadening the scope of
their responsibilities
6. Develop and support the people they work with
IF YOU ARE GOING TO ASK, BE SURE TO HAVE A GOOD REASON!

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STILL PLANNING? NO PROBLEM!
 Now is not the time to say, “Either I am getting my dream job or
forget it.”
 Look into finding a position
doing something you enjoy,
pays a decent wage, teaches skills,
and lets you make connections so
that when the economy is better,
you can be promoted within the
company or have experience which
will help you get the job you
really want.

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JOB SEARCH SITES ON THE
CAREER CENTER HOME PAGE
 GoIRISH provides job
postings and employer
descriptions and information
specifically for Notre Dame
students.
 Vault
 Career Shift
 Career Search
 Going Global
 Job Central
 Focus
 Wetfeet
 Uniworld
 UCAN

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JOB SEARCH SITES
THE BIG JOB BOARDS
 Job Central
 Monster.com
 Careerbuilder.com
MAJOR JOB SEARCH ENGINES
 SimplyHired.com
 Indeed.com
 Jobster.com
 True Careers
 Workopolis
JOB SEARCH SITES
 DiversityJobs.com
 EmploymentGuide.com
 Job.com
 JobCircle.com
 Yahoo! Hot Jobs
 Idealist.org
 JobFox.com
 Jobing.com
 GetTheJob.com
 GOJobs
 SnagAJob.com
 TopUSAJobs

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NETWORKING
 Networking is hugely important,
and yet, it is easier than it may
seem.
 Talk with professors
 Attend conferences and career
fairs
 Talk to people in the community
 Ask your parent’s friends or
friend’s parents if he/she has a
connection
About 80% of jobs are obtained through networking.

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WHEN & HOW TO NETWORK
WHEN
 Always be on the watch for
establishing a relationship…
airplanes, sporting events,
meetings, and social
gatherings.
 After you have applied for a
position at a company, find
someone at the company to
network with… the goal is to
find the hiring manager and get
your resume in front of that
person.
HOW
 Email the person and ask if
he/she can give you just a few
minutes.
 Identify yourself and indicate
you would like their advice…
 Ask questions about their
experiences, time as a student,
and decisions they made in
their career path.

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NETWORKING:
THINGS TO REMEMBER
 A networking meeting is NOT
an interview… it is
relationship building
 A networker owns the
meeting, sets the agenda,
and takes the blame if it does
not go well
 The networker is responsible
for setting the direction of the
meeting and keeping things
moving

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NETWORKING DATABASES
 MyNotreDame is a database of Notre Dame alums and
where they work. Seniors have access through the Alumni
Association.
 LinkedIN is an online network of experienced professionals.
Join this network at linkedin.com, create a profile using
nd.edu email address, join the ND Alumni Group, and search
its members.
 CareerShift and CareerSearch both provide company
contact information. Access these databases through the
Career Center Online Library. Career Shift allows you to
search by college.
 GoIRISH Employer tab generally provides a contact and their
information for companies that have recruited at ND in the
past

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JOB SEARCH ADVICE
 Find a passion and find a way to get involved even if its not
the dream position.
 Be Prepared, Proactive, and Positive.
 Do not worry about the income made in your 20s. Focus on
the foundation being built, It will make all the difference in
your 30s and beyond.
 Stay in consistent contact with employers and people in your
network. A “no” now does not mean a “no” forever. Follow-up,
Follow-up, Follow-up.
 Power up your resume with strong, specific, action verbs to
highlight your skills and experience.
 Show enthusiasm… in the cover letter, interview, thank you
notes, and follow-ups!

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JOB SEARCH ADVICE
 Realize that your entire life is ahead and making very
calculated moves will pay off 15-20 years from now. Don’t
rush past building the foundation of your career.
 Realize that the cost of living in your 20s is as low as it gets
and this is the perfect time to travel for work, teach English
abroad, ministry, Peace Corps, and other worldly volunteer
work if interested.

19. + ALWAYS REMEMBER…
10. Read Up!
9. Dress Up!
8. Speak Up!
7. The world revolves around whomever you are talking to
6. Keep yourself and your life in balance
5. Smart questions trump smart answers
4. No one plays the Martyr well
3. People matter more than accomplishments
2. Leadership matters more than results
1. Be open to possibilities
Shawn O’Grady, VP Marketing General Mills

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Helpful Resources
 “Getting Promoted: Real Strategies for Advancing you Career”
by Harry Chambers
 “Life After College: The New Graduates Guide” Edited by Nadia
Bilchik
 “They Don’t Teach Corporate in College” by Alexandra Levit
 http://www.careerbliss.com/advice/8-career-lessons-from-
katniss-everdeen-of-the-hunger-games/

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QUESTIONS?