The Virtual Job Search

Any effective job search involves a plan, persistence and self-care. To develop a plan, consider the components of the job search:

• determine your interests
• explore career options
• set career goals and possible alternatives
• look for opportunities (e.g., networking, most recent job postings)
• prepare marketing materials (e.g., résumé, social media profile, cover letter)
• sell yourself to employers (e.g., interviewing)
• reflect upon what went well and what could improve

Other important factors when job searching are resilience and persistence. Staying healthy and positive will give you the energy and perspective to recognize and approach new possibilities.

Resources

Although job demand is changing rapidly and in ways that we didn’t expect, there are encouraging opportunities. Companies in health care, financial services, online learning and a number of other industries, are seeking new employees. Find out what's out there:

• Handshake – Employers post openings on Handshake every day. Filter your searches for “remote” work, by location or other interests.
• Employer Info Sessions ­– This is an opportunity to learn about and connect with employers who are hiring. Find upcoming sessions under “Events” on Handshake.
• Virtual Career Fairs – Similar to in-person fairs, virtual career fairs host a number of different companies – in online chat rooms. Participants can choose which rooms to access. Check for upcoming fairs under “Events” on Handshake.

Some positions may look different as businesses and institutions move to virtual service delivery. Hundreds of companies provided remote jobs and several operated entirely by remote before the pandemic.

Micro-internships have also been on the rise. Micro-internships are short-term, on-demand, remote projects available before and after you graduate.

Resources

You may be surprised to discover that professionals are interested in advising students. Professional networking continues to be a best practice when job searching, especially since many jobs are not posted on job boards.

Virtual networking – on sites like LinkedIn and Cal State LA Handshake – is ideal during times of social distancing. Make the most of these resources by:

• letting your network know you are looking for a job
• connecting with 2-3 recruiters in your industry
• posting actively on social media
• joining online groups in your industry or your hobbies

Resources

Setting up a LinkedIn Profile (presentation)
Networking on LinkedIn (presentation)
How do I set up an Informational Interview? (website)
What to Ask in Informational Interviews (handout)

Virtual interviewing is a common part of job searching today. It may be done over the phone, through video applications like Skype or Zoom, or could be in the form of a one-way video recording.

Understanding what to expect and how to prepare for virtual interviews will increase your chances of success. Check out the resources below and feel confident in your next virtual interview!

• How to Make a Good Impression in a Virtual Job Interview (article)
• 11 Tips for Video Interviewing Success (article)

Practice Interviewing

Big Interview – provides free, online interview practice for Cal State LA students and registered alumni. Alumni should email the Career Center for the access code to the alumni portal.

• Practice tough interview questions with the ability to record, review, and share your answers to get feedback from others and receive on-the-spot AI-based feedback.
• Choose from dozens of interview sets and over 20 different industries/majors.
• Utilize nearly 40 lessons and learn all the best interviewing techniques to get you on track.

Success at the start of any job or internship depends upon these essential areas of job performance: dependability/reliability, punctuality, and quantity/quality of work. Often the skills that affect retention are basic skills (reading, writing, math), thinking skills (creativity, problem-solving, decision-making) and personal qualities (responsibility, self-esteem, sociability, self-management, integrity/honesty).

In remote work contexts, you may need to utilize the following skills and others even more:

• Time management – set goals as to what you need to achieve each day, prioritize what work comes in and block off time for specific tasks so you can focus on being productive.
• Communication skills – with interactions taking place in chat fields and emails, objectives, instructions and deadlines must be communicated clearly and concisely.
• Digital proficiency – the ability to adopt remote communication tools is a primary skill for remote work. Digital proficiency and literacy have been in-demand skills before the pandemic.

Resources

The Remote Work Competency Model (Website)
Remote Work Dictionary (Website)
Remote Working: Setting Yourself and Your Teams up for Success (Training by LinkedIn Learning in your MyCalStateLA portal)
Working Remotely: How We Make It Work (Tips from Facebook)
330 Tools for Remote Work (Website)

Part of choosing a career path includes knowing about workplace culture and available opportunities for your degree. Employers host events where you can meet and learn more about what's possible. Look for these events on Handshake.

We offer workshops each semester to help you effectively search for professional opportunities. Look for them and sign up on Handshake.

Career advisors and coordinators can help with self and career exploration, career planning, internships, career networking, résumé and interview skills, and employment searches. We offer group and individual appointments. Connect with career advisors.