Benedictine University: Graduates seeking jobs must attend to all details, utilize collegiate career services

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Jun 03, 2013, 04:03 ET

LISLE, Ill., June 3, 2013 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- According to recent reports, unless you are an engineer, the 2013 jobs market poses a challenge for graduates seeking work in their major. Although degrees in business, computer sciences and accounting, followed by health care, round out the top five jobs in demand, competition is high and May graduates need to take steps to get ahead of the crowd.

These steps start with having an impeccable resume that is error-free. It may seem like a basic rule of thumb but employers find a surprising amount of spelling errors on resumes – a serious enough issue for 43 percent of hiring managers to immediately eliminate a candidate from consideration, according to a survey of 500 hiring managers by recruitment firm Adecco.

Taking advantage of your university's career center is a first step. As a standard, the better college career centers should provide resume design and proofing sessions, mock interviews and employment referrals. Benedictine University's Office of Career Development does this and more.

Ulyana Smolyak, M.B.A.'08, works as an appraiser at a real estate firm after initially being recommended as an intern by the University's Office of Career Development. Smolyak said she worked closely with the University's career advisors who she credited with helping her secure her current position.

"Their guidance – including helping me prepare for interviews – paved the way for me," Smolyak said. "They (Benedictine advisors) introduced me to my current employer where I started as an intern and right before graduation I was offered a full-time position. It was a collaborative effort in making the internship possible and creating a path to success for me where the Benedictine staff recognized what I had to offer."

Career centers that are able to assist in successful job placement for its alumni build credibility with employers and students. While job placement is not guaranteed, students can find other ways to make use of their college's career services post-graduation. For the job seeker, these opportunities include resume and cover letter writing, job search advice, interview preparation and attending workshops. Career service offices can also be a vital referral agency to help build a company's workforce with qualified applicants.