While the internet may be a good place to do research on a particular career, going out and meeting people working in the sector can be the best way to land that coveted first job. A 21-year-old college senior with an interest in urban planning told McClatchey Newspapers that she was offered an internship at her first-choice organization after arranging some informational interviews with workers in her chosen field. She said that, although it initially took some nerve to begin cold-calling strangers, the effort paid off and she received responses from everyone she contacted. Judy Colburn, manager of University of Washington-Tacoma's career development center, said that she advises people to "go out and have conversations with people" in the jobs they are interested in. These informal informational interviews can also help potential candidates narrow down different aspects of their chosen career path, such as whether they would like to work in the public or private sector. According to the Department of Labor, one of the best ways for candidates to find out about job opportunities in their area is to tell everyone they know they are looking in a particular sector and see if anyone has a connection.  |