Employment Search

Organizations provide unique employment options for college students and recent graduates. They typically post these opportunities with the Career Center and host virtual and in person events to connect with you. You can find these on Handshake.

Experience While in College

• Internships - An off-campus experience, typically 10 to 12 weeks, that provides work-based learning related to your major. Visit: Handshake.
• Micro-Internships - Short-term, project-based work for an organization, typically 5 to 40 hours over 2 to 4 weeks, and often done remotely. Visit: Micro-Internships: Parker Dewey.
• Fellowships - Scholarships for professional development or advanced research of an academic subject. Visit: National & International Scholarships and Fellowships Program
• Part-time Student Jobs - Part-time work done off campus, related to future career paths, and often flexible work hours. Visit: Handshake.
• Student Jobs on Campus - Part-time work done on campus to gain skills in a professional setting. Visit: Handshake.
• Student Jobs in Government - Student job and internship pathways for entry into professional careers with the U.S. and California government. Visit: USAJOBS: Explore Hiring Paths and CalCareers: Student Employment.

Experience Upon Graduation

• Internships - Work-based learning related to your major, typically 10 to 12 weeks, may be offered within 6 to 9 months after graduation. Learn what you should know about internships after graduation.
• Fellowships - Scholarships for professional development or research may be offered within 1 year after graduation, but you must apply in your last year of study. Learn how to find fellowships for any level of your career.
• Rotational Programs - Short-term work in at least three different roles within a company (designed to help you explore careers) may be offered within 6 to 9 months after graduation. Learn 4 reasons why you should consider a rotational program after college.
• Recent Graduate Programs in Government - Recent graduate employment pathways into professional careers with the U.S. and California government. Learn about USAJOBS: Recent Graduate Programs.
• Full-time, Early-Talent Jobs - Entry-level or career-advancement positions that consider your academic experiences as relevant work experience. Visit: Handshake.
• Freelance or Independent Contract Work - Short-term, project-based work for companies without being an employee of the company. Learn about Fiverr vs Upwork and Fiverr vs Freelance.
• Consulting Work - Requires a specific area of expertise and significant experience, equivalent to several years of research or formal presentations, to help organizations solve problems. Learn how to Find Consulting Jobs.
• Entrepreneurship - Owning a business to provide a product or service requires a business registration with the U.S. and state government, and may require a professional license. Learn about the IRS for the basics of setting up a business, California support for setting up and managing a small business or startup, and California professional licensure guide.

Use these resources to connect with relevant job boards. NOTE: Getting hired takes time and focus. The average time to find a job takes a couple of months. You can increase your chances of getting hired by focusing your job search. Apply for specific roles that align with your specific career interests and qualifications rather than submit the same résumé to any position you find. 

Cal State LA Resources

• Handshake - Handshake is a national job board for college students and recent graduates, and postings are specifically for Cal State LA students and graduates.
• Micro-Internships: Parker Dewey - Find short-term, paid, professional projects similar to those given to interns or new employees.

Other Resources

• Professional Associations Search - Locate professional associations by job title to find career-specific job boards.
• Top Corporate Inclusion Programs (Student/Recent Graduate Internships) - Directs to companies offering internships.
• Employers with Dedicated Early Career Programs - Directs to companies offering entry-level full-time jobs for soon-to-be and recent graduates.

Specialized Resources

• Job Search Database - Lists hundreds of career-specific job boards.
• Arts, Media, and Entertainment Resources
  • Mandy Network - Lists jobs for cast, crew, and creative professionals.
  • Staff Me Up - Lists work in media production.
  • Entertainment Careers - Lists careers in the entertainment and digital media industries.
• Sustainable Green Jobs Resources
  • Green Jobs Board - Lists careers in the green economy.
  • Remote Climate Jobs - Lists sustainable green jobs from over 80 sources.
• Jobs at Fast-Growing Startups: Wellfound - Lists jobs at startups. 

Government, Nonprofit, and Fellowship Resources

• California Government Jobs - Lists careers, ranging from accounting to zoology, with the State of California.
• U.S.A. Government Jobs - Lists careers with the U.S. government.
• GovernmentJobs - A public sector job board.
• Idealist - Lists openings with nonprofits, social-impact businesses, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives.
• ProFellow - Lists fellowships for professional development and research.

An effective way of getting hired is to identify the companies you want to work for and search directly on their website. Employers post their open positions on the company website usually under the careers section at the top or bottom of the homepage. Use these resources to help your research.

Company Job Lists

• How to Search for Jobs on Google - Use the Google search feature to find openings and directly apply on the company's job site.
• Employers with Dedicated Early Career Programs for Young Talent - Lists companies that hire new graduates.
• Employers by Major - Lists employers in California who have hired college graduates by major.
• Business Finder by Industry - Lists industries by location and the businesses who perform a job activity of interest.
• Corporate Scorecard - Lists companies by career values. Learn Ten Ways to Research Company Culture.

Government Job Boards

• USAJobs: Working in Federal Government - Tips by the federal government on how to find opportunities and apply.
• CalCareers: Steps to a California State Job - Tips by the California government on how to find opportunities and apply. Learn CalCareers: California State Job Search FAQ.

Little success comes to those who send the same application to hundreds of employment postings. If you focus your efforts on a specific type of work related to your major or area of interest, you can increase your success. Use these resources to get started.

Not sure about your career interests? Try out Career Experiences with Forage - virtual job simulations designed by top companies. Discover your career interests and build career-ready skills to add to your résumé.

By Major or Occupation

• What Can I Do with This Major - Search majors and find common career areas and paths, employers that hire in the field, professional associations, and strategies to maximize opportunities.
• Education Crosswalk Search - Search your major and find related job titles, or Browse by Interest to search by the type of work environment you prefer.
• Professional Associations Search - Search for professional associations related to your job of interest to find resource on how to get in the career.

By Industry/Service

• Careers in Los Angeles by Industry - Search featured industries in Los Angeles to discover employers and common careers, and watch video interviews with professionals in their careers.
• Industries in the United States - Search industries in the United States to discover job titles, the projected growth of opportunities, and the skills and education needed.
• Health Professions Career Information - Developed by Cal State LA faculty to provide resources for medical careers.
• Vault Guides to Jobs - Guides about key careers and industries by job activities of interest.

In Government

• Federal Occupations by Major - Search academic majors and the matching federal job titles.
• California State Occupations by Industry - Search jobs in the State of California by industry of interest/job family (group of jobs based on the work performed, skills and education required).

At Nonprofit Organizations

• Degrees Nonprofits Look For: Nonprofit Careers - Connects majors to job titles at nonprofit organizations.

In Freelance

• Freelance/Contractor Career Fields - Find the top career fields for freelance jobs. Learn Three Reasons Why Freelancing is Right for You, explore the Steps to Creating your Freelance Career, figure out your freelance focus, and the seven fast-growing industries for freelancers. 

In Consulting

• Learn How to Become a Consultant and How to Find Consulting Jobs.

In Entrepreneurship

• Entrepreneurship - Visit the IRS for the basics of setting up a business, the State of California support for setting up and managing a small business or startup, and the State of California professional licensure guide.

We provide an application tracking tool called Huntr. This tool helps you organize your employment search. You can share your job tracking board with a career advisor for coaching support.

Log In: Job Application Tracker

Add jobs to Huntr using the Chrome browser and the Huntr Chrome Extension. For help getting started, watch the video Introducing Huntr Job Search Tracker and review the Huntr Job Seeker Guide.

LinkedIn is an employment and business focused social media platform. Students and professionals connect, share, and learn from each other on LinkedIn. You can also find internships and job openings.

How to Set Up Your LinkedIn Profile

• LinkedIn Profile Checklist - Use this checklist provided by LinkedIn to create your profile.
• Career Photo Booth - Stop by the Career Center to get your professional photo taken; no appointment is needed. 

How to Use LinkedIn to Network and Job Search

• Introduction to Networking on LinkedIn  - Read this guide to learn how to build your connections and network on LinkedIn.
• LinkedIn Job Search Checklist - Use this checklist provided by LinkedIn to search for jobs.
• Join the Career Center LinkedIn Group - Group memberships on LinkedIn provide a place for professionals with similar interests to share their insights and experiences, ask for guidance, and build professional connections. The Career Center group is exclusive to Golden Eagles and our partnered companies.

People who are working in organizations or positions that interest you are often willing to support students and recent graduates. They provide valuable advice about how to prepare and succeed in the employment search. Building a relationship with professionals working in areas that interest you is called networking. Use these resources to get started.

What is Networking?

• Networking 101: How to Network - Watch this video for an introduction to networking.
• What are Networking Events? - Learn about the different types of events where you can network with professionals and potential career mentors.
• Networking is a Waste of Time or Is it? - Learn about the benefits of networking and get a sample meeting agenda and questions to ask.

Who should I network with?

• Ten Types of People to Network with During Your Job Search - Find out how to identify who to network with when you are job searching.
• Six Ways to Find Contacts Inside Companies - Use these digital tips to find contacts inside of companies.

Networking Communities to Join

• Jobs & Internships: Handshake — Handshake is a online career community for college students. You can explore career options, find jobs/internships, and connect with employers hiring Cal State LA students.
• Career Center LinkedIn Group — Group memberships on LinkedIn provide a place for professionals with similar interests to share their insights and experiences, ask for guidance, and build professional connections.
• Alumni Mentoring Program — The Cal State LA Alumni Association provides one-time and traditional mentoring for students and recent graduates.
• Professional Associations Search - Professional associations are a great source of additional information on jobs, specialties, and industries. They also serve as an excellent starting point for networking in your career of choice. Get seamless access to professional associations by searching the O*NET database of almost 3,000 organizations related to the occupations in the U.S. economy.
• Employers by Major — Find potential employers mapped by college majors.

How do I introduce myself to professionals?

When you network with professionals you will most likely be asked, "What do you do?" This typical introductory question is asking for your professional introduction or your elevator pitch. Use the resources to create your professional introduction and continue the conversation.

To create your professional introduction, you first need to define your professional brand and your goal for networking. A professional brand is how employers see you in your major and career. It reflects who you are as a professional.

• Brand Template - Use this handout to start creating your professional brand introduction.
• Brand Review Guide - Use this guide to see how you can continue to advance your brand.
• Career Conversation Questions - Use these questions to identify your goal for networking and what to ask when developing a career mentoring relationship.

If you would like to invite a potential career mentor for a career conversation, an email or LinkedIn message may be appropriate. Use these tips to convey your professionalism when you reach out to professionals in writing.

• Business Writing Etiquette Introduction - This guide provides sample emails and best practices for writing professionals.
• Business Writing - Watch this video to get tips on business writing.

Employers want to engage with college students and recent grads to build a mentoring relationship and share job opportunities. Here are some of the ways that employers recruit college students on campus. Sign up for these employer events using Handshake.

• Outreach Tables - Visit an employer outreach table outside of the Career Center to learn about part-time and internship openings.
• Information Sessions - Attend these employer presentations to learn about career pathways are available and how to apply.
• On-Campus Interview Program - Apply to positions and be invited to interview for the opportunity.
• Career Fairs - Attend our campus-wide career fairs offered twice a year, typically in late September/early October and late March/early April. Our fairs are organized in sections, including arts, media, and entertainment; applied STEM and research; business and computer science; education and social services; and health and life science.

Depending upon your industry, you may dress in business casual or business professional clothing.

Business casual is between casual and formal. This style includes business dress pants or khakis, knee-length skirts, button-down shirts or blouses, closed-toed shoes like loafers or low heels, and simple accessories.

Business professional is in more conservative settings or industries like finance, government, or law. This style includes well-tailored and tidy dresses, dark-colored suits and ties, neat button-down shirts or blouses, and closed-toed business shoes like Oxfords or low heels.

Learn more about the levels of business attire. If you’re unsure about the event setting, you can ask the person who invited you.

The Career Center provides new and gently used interview and career-appropriate clothing in partnership with basic needs support programs and community partners.

Visit: Career Clothing Closet

The employment search process can be challenging and tiring. When you are feeling tired or down about your search you may be more vulnerable to job scams. We are available to help you review an opportunity before you click on the links or hit the apply button. Use this resource to improve your awareness of scam opportunities: Job Scams Consumer Advice by the Federal Trade Commission.

Negotiating can increase your potential to earn more, gain more vacation days, create a more convenient work schedule, and obtain other benefits to enhance your career prospects. Use these resources to learn how to research your salary and find the right words to be confident when negotiating better benefits and pay.

• Review Your Job Offer: State-by-State Guides - Use these state-by-state tip sheets to understand your rights regarding non-compete agreements, verifying if your salary matching co-workers, negotiating contractual protections, and more.
• Negotiating Your Job Offer and Salary: LinkedIn Learning Course - Use your free student access to LinkedIn Learning located in your MyCalStateLA portal to take this one-hour training covering the pre-offer, offer, and post-offer stages of salary negotiation.

During the job search, you may wonder when you should share information that may be sensitive such as a disability, a prior criminal record, or citizenship status. Use these resources to help you know more about your rights and determine when and how to share this information.

• U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission - The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission outlines prohibited employment policies and practices.
• Disability Disclosure - The Job Accommodation Network provides guidance to help you decide if, when and how you want to share disability-related information.
• Criminal History Disclosure - The State of California Civil Rights Department provides guidance for job applicants to reduce undue barriers to employment for applicants with criminal histories. Use the link above to learn more, review their guidance to help you know your rights, and/or watch this view video about Fair Chance Access to Employment from the California Department of Corrections.
• Citizenship Disclosure  - The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission provides information about pre-hire inquiries about citizenship status before accepting a job offer. 

With a job search plan, your pregnancy should not stand in the way of your job search. Use the resources below to get started.

• How to apply for and get a job while pregnant
• 5 questions you might have if you're job searching while pregnant
• 4 women share what it's like to get a job while pregnant
• All about working during pregnancy
• CalWorks - Designed to help parents or caretakers of kids under 18 and people who are pregnant. Eligibility will depend on things like your household income, resources, and age. Additional information about CalWorks LA County Department of Public Social Services.

Depending upon your immigration status or circumstances, you may need a specific visa or permit to work in the United States. Use these resources to determine the best pathway for you.

• Working in the United States - Learn about the types of work visas available, including employment-based visas (EB visas), temporary work visas filed by a prospective employer on your behalf (e.g., H visas for specialty occupations and STEM professionals), entrepreneur employment, and working as a student or exchange visitor.
• H1-B Employer Data Hub - The H-1B program allows employers to temporarily provide a work visa for occupations that require theoretical or practical application of highly specialized knowledge and a bachelor's degree or higher in a specific specialty. Employers must have an approved Labor Condition Application (LCA) for the specialty occupation. Search this data hub to find which employers have submitted petitions to employ H1-B workers.
• F-1 Student Visa and Employment - Learn about the employment options available during and after your studies. These include on-campus employment, Curricular Practical Training (CPT), and Optional Practical Training (OPT). For more information, you can also visit Training Opportunities in the United States.
• J-1 Exchange Visitors and Employment - Learn about the employment options available, including part-time on-campus employment.
• Other Permission to Work (Employment Authorization Document) - Learn about how to request an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) if you are authorized to work because: your immigration status or circumstances (e.g., asylee, refugee, DACA), you have a pending application for permanent residence, asylum or withholding of removal; or you have a status that allows you to be in the country but does not allow you to work without first seeking permission (e.g., F-1 visa).

When you start work as an employee, independent contractor, or business, you will be asked about your federal and state tax status and contributions. Each year in April, you may need to file federal and state tax returns. Use the resources below to learn more about tax withholding and tax preparation.

Tax Identification Numbers

• Social Security Number (SSN) - A Social Security number (SSN) is a unique identifier issued by the Social Security Administration and is used for work. Use the link above to find out more or watch this video about your Social Security number and card: what you need to know.
• Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) - The IRS provides information about taxpayer identification numbers for individuals who do not have and are not eligible to obtain a Social Security number. Use the link above to find out more. 
• Taxpayer Identification Number (TIN) - For international students, you may apply for an SSN or TIN. Use the link above to learn more about TIN and SSN options specific to your situation.
• Employer Identification Number (EIN) - If you have a business or organization you will be required to have an employer identification number (EIN) for tax purposes, even if you do not have employees.

Tax Withholding

• IRS Employee Tax Withholding Information - Use this resource for guidance on how to complete the W-4 tax withholding form as an employee.
• California Employee Wage Withholding Information - Use this resource for guidance on how to complete the DE 4 tax withholding form as an employee.

Tax Returns

• IRS Federal Tax Filing Information - Learn about filing federal tax returns.
• California Franchise Tax Board Tax Filing Information - Learn about filing tax returns for the state of California.
• Cal State LA VITA Program - This Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program is provides FREE tax return preparation services for Cal State LA students and members of the community.