Job & Internship Search

Think of your job search efforts as weekly homework. Adopt a positive attitude and seek help from career counselors to stay motivated. 

Use our Career Readiness Checklist to get prepared and stay on track.

"Very good experience. My visit was beneficial to getting my job search underway. I feel much less stressed."  - KSU Student

Job & Internship Search - Career Center Resources 

• Career Fairs and Events
  Plan to attend our annual Fall and Spring Job & Internship fairs held in the Kent Student Center and be sure to prepare ahead of time.

• Experience Job & Internship Board
  Apply to positions posted year round and view employers participating in on-campus job fairs and interviewing in our office.  On-campus student jobs and graduate assistantships are posted daily by departments across all eight campuses.
  
  » View the Experience Student User Agreement & Guide.

International Students and Work Abroad
Access the Going Global web site via our Experience Job & Internship Board to find H1B employers, work permit/visa regulations, cultural advice and more for U.S. cities and countries around the globe.

Interviews On-Campus
Sign up for interviews held in the Career Services Center's professional interview suites via our Experience Job & Internship Board. 

General Search Strategies

• Faculty Internship Coordinators
  Faculty often have contacts in their field, so use your professors, faculty advisors and internship coordinators as part of your network.
• For Educators
  Search educator focused job posting sites, attend Teacher Interview Day, and continue networking.
• For Individuals with Disabilities
  Tips for disclosing a disability, addressing accommodation needs, and more.
• General Tips
  Refine your job and internship search by further focusing your career goals and spending your time wisely while seeking your ideal opportunity.
• Networking
  Start early and expand your own personal network of contacts.  Social media networking strategies through sites such as LinkedIn can also help you make connections and build personal branding that will boost your job search.

Helpful Web Sites

• Ohio Means Jobs.com and Ohio Means Internships.com
  Serves as Ohio's official online portals for job and internship-matching services for Ohio employers seeking college students, alumni, and other skilled workers.
• Internship Search Web Sites
  For Ohio internships in numerous industries, search NEOintern.net.  For students in the physical, biological, engineering, computer science, and math fields, see Ohio's Third Frontier Internship Program.
• Job Search - Popular Web Sites
  The Internet is a key job search resource, but should not replace in-person strategies. Many employers now post jobs and accept applications at their organization's web site and on web sites catalogued in our Delicious account.

Research Employers

• Employers expect you to research their organization and know the answers to questions such as:
  
  » What are the employer's products or services?  What is unique about them? 
  » Is the organization expanding services or products?  
  » Have they experienced any acquisitions or mergers? 
  » How long has the business been in operation? 
  » What is the work atmosphere like?

Generate Interviews

• Arrange as many in-person interviews as you can.  Request an informational interview even if you are not aware of any current openings.  Be confident in marketing your skills, but don't be overly aggressive. 
• Practice your interviewing skills and set a goal of obtaining an interview with all organizations on your list.

Keep Records & Follow Up

• Set up a system to manage your job search. Keep track of the resumes you send out and job openings you respond to. Maintain a list of all prospective contacts, companies contacted, people you talked to (phone number and date) and status of contact.
• Employers will often NOT contact you right away, so plan to follow up within one-two weeks after you submit your materials.  Take this opportunity to re-affirm your interest in the position and ask about the next steps in the hiring process.

Evaluate and Negotiate Offers

• Prepare for outcomes ahead of time. Be prepared to evaluate a job offer and negotiate your salary.  Remain flexible and redefine your plans as required.