Career & Professional Development

Conducting a job search can be quite the process however if you use your resources and tools you may find the career of your dreams.

Resumes are an essential part of the job search and most applications require that you have this document for submission. Visit the Career & Professional Development’s Resume Resources page to see samples and learn more about perfecting your document.

Handshake is a great place to start looking for job opportunities in the field you want to work. Employers seeking UW Oshkosh students to fill their vacancies post to Handshake regularly.

Relocation Tools whether you want to stay local or venture out-of-state relocation tools can help you identify important aspects to think about in your search – salary comparisons, climate, school districts, crime rates and more.

www.bestplaces.net

https://www.careerperfect.com/tips/resources/relocation-tools/

http://www.relocationessentials.com/default.aspx

Due Diligence / Fraudulent Activity

The University of Wisconsin System Career Services Offices make no warranties regarding any employers and/or postings on Handshake. The approval of an employer and/or posting of an opportunity on Handshake does not imply any sponsorship or endorsement by Career Services or the UW institution. The university acts solely as a referral service that is free of charge for both employers and job seekers and makes no claim or representation regarding the validity of employers or posted opportunities. The Career Services office and university is not responsible for the wages, safety or working conditions of any employment.

We ask all students to use “due diligence” before accepting any employment. Also, be aware that wages that are based partially or fully on sales or commissions are not guaranteed. All hiring and compensation for work performed is handled directly between the student and the employer. Career Services does not perform background checks on students nor on employers. Therefore, employers and students are encouraged to request reference information from each other.

Though the University diligently screens employers and job postings for fraudulent activity, from time to time a job scam may enter our system. It is important for you to know the signs to look for.

Here are some signs of a job scam to watch out for:

1. You are asked to deposit a cashier’s check or money order without having performed any work. *Note that a bounced check may withdraw money from YOUR account.*
2. You have to send money in any way, shape or form to the employer before you begin working.
3. You are asked for personal information like your social security number, bank information or credit card information.
4. You are receiving emails unexpectedly from an individual that says they work at a company, but the email address is from a non-company domain name (Gmail, Yahoo, etc.).
5. You notice excessive typos and grammatical errors in your communication with the employer.

When you are applying for positions, here are some guidelines to help you:

• Research the employer and review jobs thoroughly. Do they have a reputable website with location information? Is the job listing you want to apply for also on their main career page?
• Never agree to a background check unless you have met the employer in person.
• Meet face-to-face with a potential employer. An in-person interview or informal chat over coffee will help you determine the employer’s intentions.
• Always trust your instincts. If a job sounds too good to be true, it is likely a scam.

What should you do if you think you applied to a job scam or you think a job posting in Handshake is suspicious?

Immediately notify the Career Services Office via the contact information below to share details about what happened, including company name, job posting title, relevant dates, etc.

Visit the Salaries and Negotiations page for detailed information about:

• Negotiating salary
• Benchmark salary data
• Salary resources
• Calculating salary
• Calculating cost of living

It is important to understand and compare all aspects of your job offer. Listed below are successful strategies to help you when you are going through this process. It is also key to understand all the different components included in typical job offers, so you can make sure to note which ones are important to you and can ask about them when the times comes.

Job Offer – Strategies for Success:

1. Negotiate only after you receive an offer.

2. Do not accept a position immediately. Say thank you for the offer and share your excitement; but exercise patience. Once you receive an offer you have power to leverage in the negotiation process.

3. Request the offer in writing. You may not have another opportunity to negotiate specific elements of the offer. Be strategic, and do not forget to discuss pre-planned vacations, weddings and any professional obligations.

4. Take time to consider the offer. Ask for a copy of the benefits to review, and ask questions of the HR representative. Be leery of companies who pressure you for an on-the-spot decision. Confirm the deadline for response and who to contact with your response and questions.

5. Be respectful and flexible. You want this to be a win-win for you and the organization. Be prepared to decline the offer if you are unsatisfied that your minimum requirements are not addressed.

6. Before you accept an offer, BE SURE it is the right decision for you. Read contracts carefully prior to signing; you may have  to repay thousands of dollars if you rescind your acceptance. It is unethical and unprofessional to accept an offer and later back out and accept an offer from another organization.

The following article goes into great detail about 24 components that are most common to a benefit package including insurances, vacation time, 401k retirement plans and much more: https://collegegrad.com/jobsearch/successful-job-offer-negotiation/evaluating-your-benefits-package

If you would like a worksheet as a guide to review your offer and to identify details of each component of your offer, such as your start date, schedule, wage, insurance, benefits, etc., check out the Get Hired! Guide.

Reviewing an offer you get is very important, and here is why:

Reviewing an Offer – Video Instruction 

UW institutions provide free access to their career management system, Handshake, to support connections among students/alumni*, career centers, and employers. They use innovative technology to better connect employers and qualified candidates. Each UW institution may use the systems in slightly different ways and to varying degrees, and this document provides basic guidelines for students looking to use career management systems at any UW institution. Some UW institutions may have additional requirements not listed in this document, so please be sure to consult individual UW institution websites for potential additional information (contact information at the bottom of this document).

The word students throughout the document may include alumni, depending on the policies at the local UW institution.

Privacy

By logging into your Handshake profile:

You authorize Career & Professional Development staff to grant access to and/or release information relating to you contained in the computer files and hard copy files of said office to all prospective authorized employers or individuals deemed appropriate by the staff, for the purpose of furthering efforts to assist you in securing an internship, cooperative education experience, employment, or other career-related endeavors. Such records may contain personal information, resumes, cover letters or other information that you have uploaded into Handshake.

You understand that no written release is required for the distribution of the information contained in Handshake. After activating your online profile, to revoke this authorization, you can do so by indicating such in the appropriate field in your online profile.

Accurate Profile Information

You acknowledge that you are solely responsible for the accuracy and completeness of your profile data and uploaded documents within Handshake, including, but not limited to:

• Information on your student profile (including major, minor, GPA, graduation date and email address)
• Job search documents (including resumes, cover letters, transcripts, test scores and any other documentation requested by the employer)
• Correspondence (written or verbal) throughout the recruitment process

You understand that registration data on gender, disability status, veteran status, ethnicity (race), and birth date (age) collected through completion of your profile is voluntary and that leaving these fields blank will not affect your Handshake registration.

The University of Wisconsin System Career Services Offices do not permit the listing of opportunities that discriminate, practice deception, or violate federal and state equal opportunity employment statutes. The Career Services offices reserve the right to refuse job listings from any employer if there is a concern about an organization’s or individual’s compliance with the terms and conditions for employers.

Individual School Contact Information

Acknowledgements, disclaimers and consent to release information for job and internship seekers using Handshake. Once you login to your account:

• You grant Career & Professional Development the right to release and/or grant access to information relating to your online profile and/or your resume, cover letter or other documents that are uploaded to Handshake at their discretion and in your concern within the realm of services provided by said office.
• You acknowledge that you are solely responsible for the accuracy of your profile data and uploaded documents to Handshake.
• I understand further that I have the right not to consent to the release of my resume (and/or other documents) by not uploading the documents in Handshake.
• You understand that profile information on gender, ethnicity (race) and work authorization through completion of your profile is voluntary and that leaving these fields blank will not affect your use of Handshake. This information is not available to employers on your public profile either.
• You further understand that no written release is required for the distribution of the information contained in Handshake.
• To revoke this authorization in Handshake, you can hide your profile and resume from employers by making both PRIVATE. You can also request with Career & Professional Development that your account be inactivated.

Career & Professional Development at UW Oshkosh is an equal opportunity employer and will not knowingly sponsor or list job announcements that discriminate, practice deception, or violate federal and state employment statutes. The presence of job announcements on this web site does not indicate an endorsement or recommendation from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh or UW Oshkosh Career & Professional Development. UW Oshkosh Career & Professional Development reserves the right to refuse job listings from any employer if there is a concern about an organization’s or individual’s employment practices. Students should take responsibility for all necessary precautions when interviewing for or accepting these positions, and students are solely responsible for obtaining necessary information concerning the employer.

Employers posting job openings on Handshake are not necessarily affiliated with, nor endorsed by the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. Therefore, by accepting listings on Handshake, UW Oshkosh is in no manner sponsoring or endorsing any employer. The university acts solely as a referral service that is free of charge for both employers and job seekers and makes no claim or representation regarding the validity of positions posted with our office. UW Oshkosh is not responsible for the wages, safety or working conditions of any employment.