College Students

Patron is a High school/college student choosing a course of study/a college grad seeking an internship, part-time or full-time employment.

• Be friendly and approachable.
  -Help your patron feel comfortable by smiling, making eye contact, and offering assistance.
  
  
• Understand your patron's question.
  -Use open questions, which can't be answered with 'yes' or 'no':
  What would you like to know about internships?
  What have you found so far about studying abroad?
  -Paraphrase or summarize to be sure you understand the request:
  In other words, you're looking for information about the fastest-growing careers.
  It sounds like you're looking for a summer job in the area of your major.
  If I understand you correctly, you'd like to find a job on the west coast after graduation.
  -Use clarifying questions to generate a choice between options:
  Would you like to use personality-type tests to help you choose a major?
  Would you like to explore paid experience in your field of interest, or unpaid?
  -Anticipate potential problems in communicating - avoid professional jargon, and be sensitive to differing communication styles.
  -Be aware of non-verbal cues and body language.
  -Listen for cues to adjust or refine your understanding of the request.
  
  
• Respect your patron's privacy.
  -Lessen distractions or move to a quiet area for the interview.
  -Maintain objectivity and avoid premature assumptions.
  -Give your patron the time and attention he/she needs.
  
  
• Plan and execute your search strategy.
  -Understand the level and amount of information needed.
  Would you like to stay with online resources, or would you like books to take home, also?
  -Evaluate your patron's learning style, and determine limitations on format or reading level.
  Would you prefer a choice of occupation guides in different formats?
  Would a resource you can use at home be helpful?
  -Ask if your patron has used the source before, and provide instruction on its use.
  Have you used a computer before to find information?
  -Distinguish between advice and information; do not advise on, interpret or apply a decision to a patron's personal situation.
  
  
• Follow up to determine whether your patron is satisfied with the search results.
  -Ask if the question has been answered completely.
  Did you find the information you needed about internships/study abroad/community service opportunities?
  -Check to see that the answer is understood.
  -Encourage your patron to return to you for help, if needed.

Additional help is available on this website:

Use Assessments for career tests, personality-type assessments, and tools for self-discovery.

Use Colleges/Universities to locate colleges locally, within NYS, United States and abroad.

Use Explore Careers to find a career to match an individual's interests, and learn what training is required. Includes Career Zone and Occupational Outlook Handbook.

Use Interviewing for information on preparation and technique, and virtual interviewing practice.

Use Internships do locate internship opportunities and to learn how to make the most of the experience.

Use Networking to identify strategies for making and using contacts in job-hunting and career transitions.

Use Research Employers for company information and tips for researching companies online.

Use Resume Help to create excellent resumes and cover letters.

Use Transferable Skills to define transferable skills and learn how they can be used in the job search.

Library Resources:

Adams, Robert Lang. The complete resume & job search book for college students (1999)

Byham, William. Landing the job you want: how to have the best job interview of your life (1999)

Fein, Richard. 101 quick tips for a dynamite resume (1999)

Graber, Steven. The everything get-a-job book: from resume writing, to interviewing, to finding tons of job openings (2000)

Kerr, Cherie. Networking skills that will get you the job you want (1999)

Koen, Deb. Career choice, change & challenge: 125 strategies from the experts at careerjournal.com (2000)

Krannich, Ronald. 201 dynamite job search letters: writing right for today’s new job market (2001)

Whitcomb, Susan Britton. eResumes:everything you need to know about using electronic resumes to tap into today's job market (2002)

Visit Resources Available at the Library for categorized listing of available career materials.

Sue Hermans
Central Reference Library Services Coordinator
Poughkeepsie Public Library District