1 Having a career plan is important, though experts suggest keeping an open mind about what you might want to do and where you might want to work. Describe your "perfect" job after graduation. Then identify jobs that may lead to that "perfect" job in a few years. 2 Creating a professional brand is critical to your job search. If you were to begin a job search today, what would your brand message be? What changes to your email address, signature block, voice mail greeting, social media content, and communication habits would you need to make to ensure that you appear professional? Provide specific examples. 3 Many employers list effective communication, collaboration, and interpersonal skills as job requirements. How can you demon- strate these qualities in your social media content? Identify ex- amples of posts, tweets, pins, and other content or interaction that would provide specific evidence of your skills. 4 Job candidates sometimes produce video rsums in order to stand out from competitors. What are the pros and cons of send- ing a video rsum to a potential employer? 5 Assume you are interested in a job advertisement for an internship with a company near your college campus. The advertisement indicates the company accepts mailed and emailed applications. What are the advantages and disadvantages of mail versus email for submitting your application materials? 6 When applicants do not adequately prepare for standard inter- view questions, they often provide ineffective answers to inquiries about their weaknesses. Why is it a bad idea simply to admit a weakness such as being late on deadlines, procrastinating, or dis- liking group work? Why does giving yourself a backhanded com- pliment (such as, "I'm so focused on the details that I often don't see the big picture") come across as an insincere weakness? Why is it important always to include a description of how you are address- ing the weakness? 7 Employers' expectations about appropriate business attire may vary based on the industry. Why do you think people in financial management and legal professions often dress more formally than people who work in computer and service-based industries? 8 Two weeks after her interview with a small company in town, Cara has not heard from the employer. She sends a follow-up email message, but a week later she still has not heard anything. She calls and leaves a message, and a week later has still not received a reply. She's very interested in the position, and the interviewer indicated it might take a couple of weeks to make a decision. However, after a month, Cara would at least like to know the status of her applica- tion. What advice would you give Cara? Explain why. 9 Assume you spent the last four months of your senior year look- ing for the perfect job. You interviewed with dozens of companies; however, given the competitive job market, you haven't received any offers. Today, suddenly, you receive two very good offers from two very good companies. The salary and compensation packages are nearly identical, and the opportunities for advancement are similar. Both jobs are in the same town where you currently live.