Center for Engineering Career Development

Job Search

There are several different ways of conducting a job search. We recommend utilizing a variety of approaches based on your personal interest, industry area, and geographic preference.

As a UVA student, we highly recommend that you first start by registering on CAVLink.

Note that while CAVLink is a popular and user-friendly means for conducting a job search, only 29% of the SEAS reported job offers from the class of 2002 were a result of the On-Grounds Interviewing program. It is highly recommended that you diversify your job search to include a host of resources. Below are some ideas to get you on your way.

Steps in Your Job Search

Traditional Job Search

A traditional job search consists of searching for and applying to advertised jobs by means of:

Non-Traditional Job Search

These job search methods are valuable tools and you are encouraged to use all of these types of resources. However, keep in mind that only 20% of job openings are actually posted. The pool of candidates will be much larger for these advertised opportunities. Networking is the most successful means for gaining employment! Use a non-traditional job search approach to help.

Networking
Networking requires patience as it will not always result in immediate results, however 80% of all positions are found this way. It also requires that you be assertive when talking to potential employers or networking contacts.

Contact Specific Employers
Use employer names/contact infomration that you gain through networking. You may learn about employment opportunities that are not advertised or those that are just becoming available.

CareerSearch- if you are looking to identify companies with a specific industry or region, use CareerSearch to contact these organizations.
Use company contacts you collect from career fairs
Let our office help you identify companies

Informational Interviews

Volunteer/Extern