• Long-distance job search for Alumni
• Returning to the work force as an alumnus
• Choosing to take time away from the work force - how to best position yourself for your return as an alumnus
• Finding jobs to support your other interests (writing/performing/freelance/etc) as an alumnus
• How to market yourself effectively as an alumnus
• Staying current within your industry/career as an alumnus
• Work/Life Balance Issues for alumni
• Deciding if graduate school is appropriate for you as an alumnus
• Considering a career/job change (how to know the difference) as an alumnus
• How to decide what to do when you are interested in doing so much!
• Downsizing/Layoff issues for alumni
• How alumni can look for a job while still employed
• How to look for a job for the first time as an alumnus
• Contract Work /Free-lance Opportunities for alumni
• What to do after you have accepted the "retirement package" but are not ready to stop working

Long-distance job search for Alumni

• Conducting a long-distance job search may present a variety of challenges. It is helpful to be prepared for the various nuances for this type of job search.
• Changing economic issues could affect one's long-distance job search strategies. Being most effective and appropriate in your approach may be dependent on current local economic conditions and trends. Some geographic locations may be less reluctant to respond to someone unless he/she is actually living in or near their location. It is important to be aware of this and be prepared for this response by a prospective employer.
• Writing appropriate cover letters, structuring your resume, as well as how you may follow-up with a prospective employer may be different for a long distance search than for a local search.
• We are prepared to provide with an approach that is right for you.
• Registering for the Job Search Assistance Package will provide you access to job listings located in all parts of the country.

Returning to the work force as an alumnus

• Having a gap in your actual work history may be a challenge in today's job search. Whether you have taken time away to raise a family, take care of parents or other loved ones, or if you have faced your own health issues, we can discuss these issues with you. How to approach employers, how to address gaps on your resume, what other skills you may be able to present could also be discussed.
• We encourage you to register with Alumni Career Services to take advantage of the various resources available to you and to discuss your situation with an experienced staff counselor.
• If you wanted to re-assess your interests and preferences, you may want to register for the Career Consulting Package. If you have an idea of what you would like to do, but need help with finding those opportunities and marketing yourself, the Job Search Assistance Package would be more appropriate.

Choosing to take time away from the work force - how to best position yourself for your return as an alumnus

• If you are considering taking time away from the work force, we can discuss strategies to help you now so that when you do return you will be more competitive.
• We can provide resources and tips to help with the transition and keep you connected and help you address the opportunity to learn more about your own skills and strengths.
• We have some alumni who have chosen to sign up for the Job Search Assistance Package so that they can "stay connected" to the job trends. We can discuss this possibility with you.

Finding jobs to support your other interests (writing/performing/freelance/etc) as an alumnus

• If you are focused on pursuing your goal of acting, singing, being a musician, writing, etc you may need to find work that will help support you through a sometimes uncertain schedule.
• We understand and encourage your interest in following your creative pursuits and will discuss various job/career options available to you.
• Structuring your resume, writing your cover letter and preparing for an interview may be more unique for you because of your current or previous experiences. We can help you with a more directed job search through Alumni Career Services.
• Our job listings include access to part-time, contract jobs, short-term opportunities, plus flexible full time jobs. We can also discuss what employers may be more appropriate and more accommodating to your other interests. The Job Search Assistance Package may be the right choice for you.

How to market yourself effectively as an alumnus

• How to market one's self effectively is unique for everyone. What is appropriate for someone else may not be right for you. There are basic steps to take. What skills and strengths YOU have are different from someone else's. Learning more about yourself is crucial. Understanding your goals and career/life pursuits can help you market yourself more effectively.
• At Alumni Career Services we provide various resources and strategies including our UCS Career Guide (available to all who register with us), Career Assessments such as the Strong Interest Inventory and the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (available through Career Services Package #2, the Career Consulting Package) resume advice and consultation, as well as one-on-one consultation is available through Alumni Career Services.

Staying current within your industry/career as an alumnus

• Staying current within your field is critical if you want to continue to grow within your field. Whatever level you are at - just starting within a job/career, mid-level, or if you at the executive level, we can assist you with the how-to's of staying current, questions to ask yourself, and how to continue to meet the challenges ahead of you. Learning what networking is really supposed to be about and how to build your own network can also be discussed with Alumni Career Services.
• Some alumni have chosen to stay current by signing up for the Job Search Assistance Package so that they can stay connected to the job trends. We can discuss if this would be appropriate for you at this point in your career.

Work/Life Balance Issues for alumni

• Managing both a career and personal life continues to present challenges for most of us. If you are concerned with balancing both, and considering a different direction with your career, Alumni Career Services provides an opportunity to discuss these in more depth.
• If you are re-evaluating your goals, we offer the Career Consulting Package providing you with Career Assessments to help you identify some of your career options. We also offer the Job Search Assistance Package providing access to jobs and career opportunities that may be more inline with your current life style and work/life balance goals.

Deciding if graduate school is appropriate for you as an alumnus

• Considering a graduate program, law school, business school, medical school, or a PhD program is an important decision and should be done for the right reason. We offer resources to assist you with making the correct decisions. These include publications, links to appropriate web sites, as well as an opportunity to discuss your interests and plans.
• Throughout the year University Career Services has schools visiting Northwestern University giving presentations on their graduate and professional programs. We also will list dates for law school forums and other presentations located in other parts of the country.

Considering a career/job change (how to know the difference) as an alumnus

• Realizing you may need to make a change is the first step to making a change. It is important to analyze why you are seeking a change and considering other options.
• Deciding whether it is more beneficial to change careers or to merely make a job change to a different environment is important to decipher. You may discuss these issues with Alumni Career Services.
• Reviewing other job opportunities within your career, as well as looking at new directions and job opportunities where your current skill set can be applied, is available through the thousands of job listings we receive annually. Signing up for the Job Search Assistance Package will provide you access to these job listings as well as the opportunity to discuss your next career steps.

How to decide what to do when you are interested in everything!

• Do you find yourself confused because of your many interests? Conducting and effective job search may be challenging when one looks at everything! You may need some help sifting through the many job/career options and opportunities to decide where you may want to focus your energies.
• We offer not only access to all job opportunities in all industries and locations so one can see what possibilities exist, but also the opportunity to discuss these options with Alumni Career Services through the Job Search Assistance Package.
• It may be to your advantage to also take career assessments (through the Career Consulting Package) to help you focus on key career fields which would be appropriate at this stage of your life/career.

Downsizing/Layoff/Termination issues for alumni

• Being downsized, laid off, or terminated has its own set of challenges for anyone involved. At Alumni Career Services, we can help get back into the job market by helping you with your resume, marketing approach, as well as providing you with access to job opportunities with employers who want to hire alumni from Northwestern University.
• Some individuals are offered Outplacement Services through their employer. We provide a nice compliment for these services by directing your efforts to specific job opportunities and fine tuning your search. If you are not offered outplacement services, Alumni Career Services provides very similar services by offering similar - and many times the same career assessments, interpretation of these assessments, resume review and consultations, access to the "Career Search" employer database, interviewing preparation resources and advice, PLUS access to current job listings. The Career Consulting Package provides an opportunity to take these career assessments. If you are offered these assessments through the Outplacement Firm, signing up for the Job Search Assistance Package would be more appropriate for you.

How alumni can look for a job while still employed

• If you have never had to look for a job previously or if it has been many years since you conducted a job search, Alumni Career Services provides the tools to help you get started and to conduct an effective job search.
• Looking for the right job takes time and effort on your part. This can be difficult when one is working a very hectic pace through their current employment situation. It is important to stay in control of your job search and learn some of the best practices for searching for a job. Online access to our job listings will assist with the process. If you are unable to take time away to come to our offices to discuss your job search or have your resume reviewed or discussed in person, we assist many of our current registrants by offering telephone sessions convenient to you. We also offer evening hour appointments (telephone or in-person) on Tuesday evenings while classes are in session. The Job Search Assistance Package for registered alumni is set up to make it convenient for those who are working to access our resources, consultation and job listings.

How to look for a job for the first time (whether you are fresh out of school/or have been working for many years

• If you have never had to look for a job previously or if it has been many years since you conducted a job search, Alumni Career Services provides the tools to help you get started and to conduct an effective job search.
• We offer the tools to help you get started through the Job Search Assistance Package.

Contract Work /Free-lance Opportunities/Short-term jobs

• Many alumni may prefer to look for contract work, free lance opportunities, and/or short-term jobs for a variety of reasons. This could be to compliment other career goals, they may be in-between jobs and may want to be working in some capacity while they are seeking the "right" job/career. Some have been accepted to medical school, law school, or other graduate programs and may need a short term position prior to starting their academic programs. Some may prefer these other types of other opportunities due to life-work balance issues, health issues, or other personal circumstances.
• The Job Search Assistance Package provides access to job listings in all of these categories. We can also suggest other employers that have hired Northwestern University graduates who may be open to discussing your needs with them.

What to do after you have accepted the "retirement package" but are not ready to stop working

• There are a growing number of alumni accepting early retirement packages. Some have chosen to still continue to work in some capacity - whether this is another full time position or a short-term/ quality part-time position/ contract/ or free-lance assignment. Through The Job Search Assistance Package job listings from employers wanting to hire Northwestern University alumni are provided.
• We have also had some alumni in or near retirement wanting to take that step back and re-assess their interests and goals. For some, the Career Consulting Package has been helpful in suggesting alternate paths and opportunities.