The BYU-Idaho Career Center’s Method for Job Market Readiness
The Method is four simple activities to help you prepare for your future career.
The Method Activities
Get help exploring potential employers and connecting with them using LinkedIn, BYU-I Connect, and the Alumni Directory.
Get help conducting informational interviews with alumni and professionals.
Get help managing your network and learning how to be where the employers are online.
Learn how the Career Center resources can help you evaluate your progress, so you meet your career goals.
Activity 1: Exploring Employers
Activity One teaches you how to explore potential employers you may want to work for one day. You also learn how to connect with alumni and other professionals using BYU-I Connect, LinkedIn, and the Alumni Directory.
Creating an Employer List
LinkedIn and BYUI Connect
Create an Employer List
This list provides a starting point of professionals and alumni you can reach out to, to conduct an informational interview.
Download an employer list template to help you get started.
Employer List
Download an employer list template to help you get started.
Employer List
Tips for Creating an Employer List
This video provides tips students can use to find 40 companies to write down on their employer list.
Learn how you can use LinkedIn to connect and network with BYU-Idaho alumni to help you in your job search.
BYU-Idaho LinkedIn
Download "LinkedIn Checklist" PDF
BYU-Idaho LinkedIn
Download "LinkedIn Checklist" PDF
BYUI Connect
Learn how to connect with Alumni through BYUI Connect.
BYUI Connect
Download "BYUI Connect Checklist" PDF
BYUI Connect
Download "BYUI Connect Checklist" PDF
Activity 2: Informational Interviews
Activity Two teaches you how to reach out to conduct an informational interview with alumni and other professionals you connected with in activity one. You also learn how to follow up so you build relationships with your connections and open doors of opportunity when you are ready.
Why Conduct an Informational Interview
Reaching out for an Interview
Prepare for an Interview
Conduct Interview
Interview Followup
Student Testimonials
Why Conduct an Informational Interview
This video shares Christopher Galbraith's story of how he landed a job on Wall Street using informational interviews.
Watch Christopher Galbraith’s P2B Presentation
Download "Why Conduct Information Interviews?" PDF
Watch Christopher Galbraith’s P2B Presentation
Download "Why Conduct Information Interviews?" PDF
Reaching out for an Interview
Learn how to reach out for an informational interview.
Prepare for an Interview
Conduct an Interview
Learn how to conduct an effective informational interview.
Follow Up After Interview
Learn how to follow up after an informational interview.
Activity 3: Proximity to Employers
Activity Three teaches you how to stay in proximity to employers or simply put, be where employers can find you. Whether that is a great profile on LinkedIn, creating profiles on job boards like Handshake, or displaying your skills, talents, and experience on Portfolium, the videos in this activity will teach you what you need to know so employers can find you.
LinkedIn Profile
Managing Contacts
Handshake
LinkedIn Content
Job Boards
Campus Societies
Portfolium
Optimizing Your LinkedIn Profile
Learn how you can optimize your LinkedIn profile to help it stand out and get found by recruiters.
Profile Checklist Document Download
Schedule a LinkedIn Profile Portrait
Profile Checklist Document Download
Schedule a LinkedIn Profile Portrait
Managing your Network Contacts
Handshake
Learn how to use Handshake to be more marketable and find jobs that interest you.
Handshake Profile Checklist Document Download
Handshake Profile Checklist Document Download
Creating and Posting Content on LinkedIn
Learn how to effectively create and post content on LinkedIn.
Using Job Boards
Learn how to effectively use job boards in your job search.
Join a BYU-I Campus Society
Portfolium
This video demonstrates how to use Portfolium to showcase your skills and projects to be more marketable for your job of interest.
Portfolium Checklist Document Download
Portfolium Website
Portfolium Checklist Document Download
Portfolium Website
Activity 4: Evaluating Progress
Activity Four is designed to help you evaluate your progress after working through activities 1-3. Are there job market readiness skills you want to develop or improve? That could be writing your résumé, cover letter, or interviewing skills. The Method offers the following resources to help you achieve your goals.
Résumé Formatting
Cover Letters
Interviewing
Salary Negotiation
Using Vmock
Résumé Formatting
This video teaches an approach to format a resume.
Organizing Sections on a Résumé
This video teaches how to organize the sections of your resume, so you know what to list first.
Tailoring Your Résumé
This video teaches students how to tailor their resumes to a job position.
Know Your Audience Guide PDF
Know Your Audience Guide PDF
Writing Résumé Bullets
This video teaches about the elements that should be in a resume bullet and the best way to structure them.
Powerful Resume Verbs
Resume Bullet Point Guide
Powerful Resume Verbs
Resume Bullet Point Guide
Résumé Summary
This video teaches students how to write a resume summary when one is needed.
What to Include in Your Résumé if You Don’t Have Work Experience
This video teaches you the types of experiences you can include on your resume if you don't have very much work experience.
Cover Letter Formatting Tips
This video teaches basic tips for formatting a cover letter.
Writing a Cover Letter
This video teaches what to include in each paragraph in a cover letter.
How to Tailor a Cover Letter to a Position
This video teaches how to use the job posting to tailor a cover letter for a specific position.
Tell Me About Yourself Question
This video explains how to answer the "Tell Me About Yourself" question in a job interview.
Using STAR Model in an Interview
This video teaches you about the STAR Model and how to use it to answer behavioral-based interview questions.
What is Your Greatest Weakness Question
This video teaches you how to answer the "What is Your Greatest Weakness" question.
Salary Research
This video teaches how to research salary ranges to prepare for salary negotiations when offered a new position.
How to Answer a Salary Question in an Interview
This video teaches you how to respond to the "What salary range are you expecting?" question during a job interview.
Salary Negotiation at Job Offer
This video teaches how to negotiate salary when you have been offered a job.
How to Use VMock
VMock is an excellent tool for enhancing your resume and sharpening your interview skills.
Use your BYU-I credentials to view the tutorial provided by VMock.
Resources and examples to assist you as you professionally present yourself to potential employers and experience providers.
Learn how a well-written, formal cover letter can help you introduce yourself to an employer in a powerful way.
Learn how to prepare for your job interview, follow-up tips, and job offer negotiations.
Know what rights those with disabilities have when applying for jobs and tips to know when to disclose a disability and why that might help your work environment.