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Get the advice you need to successfully start your career.

This blog presents guidance on topics such as making the most of 1stGig, writing appropriate cover letters and resumes, developing solid interview strategies, negotiating a starting salary, deciding about graduate school, and much, much more. It is interactive as well as informative: If you have questions or comments about what you read here, or if you have ideas for topics you’d like to see covered, just let us know.

Keyword: career matching
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Should I accept an offer for a job I don’t like?

By Susan M. Katz
October 25, 2016
When you’re out of work and searching for a job, it may seem that you have to accept a job offer, even if it turns out that the job isn’t really what you expected it to be or what you’re interested in. While it’s important to accept financial responsibility and pay your own way, it’s also important that you carefully consider every job offer and make sure it’s a good fit for you. (Read more)
Keywords:
career matching | job offers | job research | organizational environment |

What type of organizational environment suits my needs?

By Susan M. Katz
March 29, 2016
Would you like to be a big fish in a small pond or vice versa? Use this list of questions to help you think about the type of organization where you may want to work (Read more)
Keywords:
benefits | career matching | organizational culture | organizational environment |

How much do I know about entry-level jobs relevant to my desired career?

By Susan M. Katz
March 29, 2016
In my experience, students usually fall into one of two categories: those who know exactly what type of career they want (for example, industrial engineer, graphic designer, journalist, doctor, lawyer) and those who don’t!  Both groups need to do research to help attain desired careers, but that research is likely to start out differently. (Read more)
Keywords:
career matching | career resources | job research |

Why should I use 1stGig?

By Susan M. Katz
March 27, 2016
1st Gig is different from other websites that offer to help you find a job because 1st Gig wants to do more than that—it wants to help you get started on a meaningful career in an organization where you can thrive. How does it do that? (Read more)
Keywords:
attributes | career matching | profiles |

What are my attributes?

By Susan M. Katz
March 27, 2016
There are myriad ways to learn about yourself and your attributes, but one good way is to do an online aptitude test. While the results of these assessments often suggest specific careers, they can also give you some very good ideas about your personality that you may not have considered—or that you may be shy about promoting. (Read more)
Keywords:
aptitude tests | assessment | attributes | career matching | profiles |
Susan M. Katz
Student Career Placement Consultant

Susan M. Katz, PhD, is 1stGig’s Student Career Placement Consultant and the author of Start Your Career: 5 Steps to Finding the Right Job after College.  She is also Associate Professor of English and Internship Coordinator at North Carolina State University, where she developed internship courses for both undergraduate and graduate students. Her courses help students prepare for the job search process, identify their strengths, and consider a variety of potential career paths. Her first book, The Dynamics of Writing Review: Opportunities for Growth and Change in the Workplace, describes some of the processes that newcomers must go through as they enter the workplace and adapt to organizational conventions.

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