One of the most useful techniques for getting a job in a company is by directly contacting them and inquiring about any employment opportunities they may have. This shows that you are a go-getter, someone who is willing to take that extra step to get the job done. Many prospective employers see this as a good thing.

However, one can also be too overzealous in reaching out to companies, which can eliminate your chances at getting a job at that company and potentially damage your reputation elsewhere. How do you know when to draw the line between actively pursuing an opportunity and being an annoying, arrogant self-seeker?

Writers from the database Vault Career Insider recently looked into the dilemma. They wrote an article which highlighted an example of exactly how not to contact a company. The article also discusses what the job seeker should have done to improve his chances at getting his message across. At the end, the author provides some good pointers on the best way to reach out to those companies that you are very interested in. Some of those points included:

• Be humble: Even though you may think that you’re the perfect fit for the position, it doesn’t mean that you should assume that you will be working at that company.
• Be polite: Don’t passive-aggressively ask what is taking so long in the job search process. The more you come off as rude or pushy, the less likely you will be offered a position.
• Be professional: Just as you should dress professionally, you should also contact companies professionally. Keep your emails short and direct without spelling or grammar errors. If you are speaking to someone directly, speak clearly and avoid slang and filler words like “ain’t,” “shoulda,” “like,” or “um.”

For the entire article, click here or create an account in Vault and read through Vault’s blogs.

We all know that Senior year has its positives but one thing that no one looks forward to is the search for a job after graduation. While the last several years have been awesome, it’s now time to come back to the real world to find the perfect job and, hopefully, career for you. Unfortunately, there are so many options and things to consider that it’s hard to know where to start. Fortunately, we at Drexel are here to help!

The Steinbright Career Development Center is hosting several workshops for graduating seniors and recent alumni who are looking for full-time positions. On September 20-22, the staff at the SCDC will host three workshops a day to discuss the strategies needed by, and resources available to, graduating Drexel students. We also strongly recommend that graduating Seniors utilize the SCDC’s Dragon Jobs site, and attend the Fall Career Fair on Wednesday, October 12 from 10am-3pm. For a full listing of available workshops, please visit the SCDC Calendar and Events page found at http://www.drexel.edu/scdc/events/index.html.

Hello Drexel students and alumni! My name is Brendan Johnson and I am the new Career Services Library Assistant here at Drexel University. I am excited to be given the opportunity to work with the Drexel community to help students and alumni achieve their career goals. As for some background about me, I am a graduate of Villanova University and had some great previous work experiences in the fields of Education and History before joining Drexel. I am currently attending graduate school at Drexel’s iSchool as well.

I will be located in Hagerty Library, room 136. If you need to get in touch with me, my contact information can be found on the Hagerty Library’s Subject Librarians page.  I will be willing to help students via email, workshops, and one-on-one consultations. If you would like to meet with me in person, please call me in order to set up an appointment. Feel free to browse this blog and the Careers Research Guides to find resources that can be helpful in your search. I will begin posting workshops on my Reference Page as well as the SCDC website very shortly so keep your eyes open for updates!

I am looking forward to working with you on your job search!

The Department of Labor Statistics recently published a guide to Careers in Wind Energy.  They provide a map of wind farms in the US, give an overview of a wind-farm project, and discuss the occupations within the wind power industry.  If you’re interested in going green with your career but aren’t really sure what your options are, check out this great guide to get you up to speed on the possibilities in the wind energy industry.

A hands-on lecture entitled “A Job, Success, or Sanity: What Are We Really Looking For In Our Careers?” by author Michael Carroll will be offered to students on Thursday, April 28, 2011 at 3:30 p.m. in MacAlister Hall (33rd and Chestnut Streets), room 2019.  During this lecture, participants explore how to transform the challenges and anxieties of the workplace into opportunities for cultivating well-being and decency on the job. This event is open to undergraduate and graduate students and CEO credit is available. Space is limited so register in advance to Monica Fauble at mfauble@drexel.edu.

Are you considering an international co-op?  If so, make sure to attend an Information Session or meet with Susan Braun, the International Co-op Manager, to learn more about eligibility requirements and the application process.

This Spring, Co-op Abroad Information Sessions will be held in the SCDC Conference Room on:

• Tuesday, April 19th    5-6PM
• Friday, May 6th     12-1PM

After attending the Info Session, consider attending an International Job Search Resources workshop in Hagerty Libary’s Room L13C to learn more about how to identify opportunities and potential employers abroad.  You can register online.  This Spring, the workshops will be held on:

• Friday, April 29th     12-1PM
• Thursday, May 12th    4-5PM

Are you in need of some summer housing options?  Need a place to stay while you complete A and B round interviews?  Make sure to look into Drexel’s Summer Intern Housing Program, which can provide you with short-term accommodations over the summer.

We didn’t want our Center City students to feel left out of the fun, so we’ve got some new books for you as well!!

Did you open your special edition of the Drexel Digest today?  I hope you did, because it was all about the events happening on Drexel’s campus for National Engineers Week!  In case you missed it, here is the schedule of events.  There is something going on just about every day, including an Engineering Career Fair tomorrow in Bossone.  If you are impatient and want to optimize your time at the career fair, see this list of employers who will be there.

Some of you have already figured out our not-so-secret secret: we have some new books in the Hagerty Careers Collection!!  Check out the new titles below- although some of them are so hot, they’ve already been checked out!