It’s never too early to start the job search It’s never too early to start the job search Seniors preparing for life after Penn have a lot of planning to do — and Career Services is here to help.

Yesterday, its staff began a series of seminars designed to guide students through the process of on-campus recruiting.

This year things will be a little bit different, as the recruiting process is starting earlier, and students no longer have to “bid” to show their interest in interviews.

For starters, those looking for jobs — or internships — should set up profiles on PennLink, Career Services’ online job-search program. From there, students can search for both summer work and career opportunities.

Once students are ready to begin applying for jobs, they should create or update their resume and upload it to Career Services’ Web site.

Using PennLink, students are able to not only search for jobs, but also to conduct research on the company, apply and sign up for interviews — completely online.

The interview itself, however, requires a personal visit.

When creating a resume, students do not need to mention the specific employer from whom they are seeking employment. This enables the use of the same resume for multiple applications.

Students should take steps to ensure that the resume they produce is free of typographical glitches.

Career Services advises students to use common fonts and one-inch margins and to avoid using text boxes, templates, tables or tabs. It uses the PDF format for documents, but students can upload their documents in either Microsoft Word or PDF format.

While students should carefully review their resumes and cover letters, most employers — especially the major ones — do not download resumes until the end of the application period. Therefore, some students may be able to make corrections if their applications have yet to be downloaded.

Students also must usually include copies of their transcripts with the applications.

While there may be a temptation to embellish, students should be aware that Career Services spot-checks some transcripts. Falsifying information could result in being banned from using PennLink — as well as a damaged reputation with major employers.

After receiving applications for jobs or internships, interested employers will usually conduct on-campus interviews.

Students should be sure to come the interview prepared. Being knowledgeable about the company and the industry is a must, and talking to alumni who are employed at the desired company can be helpful.

In addition, students should practice interviewing and be able to articulate why they want the job.

Career Services advises students not to sign up for back-to-back interviews with different employers, as interviews will sometimes run late.

If all goes well, students will receive offers of employment.

All students who use Career Services to find a job have until Dec. 2 to accept or reject offers. Students should be aware that verbal acceptance is just that — an acceptance. As well, reneging on an offer damages both the student’s reputation and the University’s — and students may suffer repercussion

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