Relocate...Why Not??

Written on 3:58 PM by Xavier Career Development

Looking for a job or internship in a city besides Cincinnati may seem like it would be a very complicated process.  Many students and alumni may feel like they don’t know where to begin that search.  But if you haven’t learned by now, the Career Development Office at Xavier is here to help you! 

Xavier University has a reciprocity agreement with all the other Jesuit universities in the country.  This agreement means that any student or alum can utilize various services provided by these career service offices at any of the schools that hold this reciprocity agreement.  You can locate a Jesuit university in the city of your choice and possibly go visit their career services office for help finding job connections in that particular city.  This agreement sometimes allows for you to attend job fairs that the university holds as well as possible access to their online job database.  These are just a couple examples of the many advantages that the reciprocity agreement can offer. 

Another way to go about relocating is to do what I did.  I have lived in Cincinnati for most of my life so I knew I wanted to expand my horizons and look for positions outside of Cincinnati.  I had about five cities that I knew I would love to live in but they were scattered all over the map.  Therefore, in my job search process, I made sure to look at companies that were either national companies or companies that have locations in cities besides Cincinnati.  I visited company websites to research their location options.  Then, at the Fall Career Fair I made it a point to ask organizations if relocation was an option as well as which city locations had job openings. Location was an aspect of the job that was very important to me so if relocation was not possible, then I was able to rule out that company. 

My advice would be to think of about five ideal cities that you would like to live in.  If you are not sure about specific cities, then maybe just pick a region that you think you would enjoy.  Then, I would look for Jesuit schools in that area.  It would be extremely helpful to visit the Career Development Office for help in this department or for more details on how the reciprocity agreement works. 

While it may seem scary to move out of your comfort zone, there are plenty of people and resources out there to help you.  Set yourself up for success by utilizing all of these tremendous resources!

Up Up and Away Muskies,
Bridget Tully
Career Development Intern 

Seniors- Let the Countdown Begin!

Written on 10:03 AM by Xavier Career Development

Seniors… with 124 days left until graduation, what are you doing to get yourself ready for life after college?  Have you thought about where you want to live after graduation?  Or maybe thought about a job you’ve always dreamed of having?  We’ve all heard by now that in the job search, it’s all about who you know.  So make the transition easier for yourself by building a strong network now!

There are so many different networking opportunities available to us to take advantage of!  The career fair coming up in February is an excellent networking opportunity.  It is a convenient way to speak with several different employers all in one day.  Even if you don’t plan on working for a certain organization, there is no harm in simply introducing yourself for a brief conversation.  You never know where your paths may cross in the future! 

Your mentor is another great network!  Mentors not only give advice on the best ways to extend your network, but they can connect you with their contacts as well.  They may know someone that works for an organization you find interesting, or maybe they know someone with the job title you someday want, or maybe their cousin works in the city that you want to live in- then that cousin can tell you the best and most cost efficient areas to live in. 

Tap into networks that may not seem obvious!  We all have friends that have graduated- talk to them and find out if they have friends that you could add to your network.  Ask your aunts, uncles, cousins, neighbors, friend’s siblings… people love talking about themselves so anyone would be flattered to hear that you want their advice!

Another convenient networking opportunity is offered in The Career Development Office.  The office schedules employer resume critiques where real employers are available in the office to sit down with.  Not only will they help you improve your resume, but you get to speak with them in an informal setting.  Rarely do we get the opportunity to speak with employers in a relaxed environment where we can hear first-hand what they want to see on a resume, so be sure to take advantage of this!  Visit the CDO site to see the Employer Resume Review dates.

This last semester at Xavier is going to fly by for us seniors, so let’s take advantage of our time here!  After college these networking opportunities probably won’t be so readily available so make the most of what the university offers! 

Let the countdown begin Muskies,
Bridget Tully
Career Development Office Intern