Advice for the job search

Before I begin this post, I want to clarify that I did not come up with these bits of advice myself; rather, this is a collection of words of wisdom that I have received from professors/mentors/coworkers over the past few months.  Recording these tips here is just as beneficial for me as it is for potential readers =)

1)  Start early.
Although we do not graduate until May, nearly everyone I've spoken to about careers in higher education emphasizes that beginning one's search early is the key to securing a job not too long after graduation.  To avoid confusion, I have been stating in the beginning of my cover letter that I will not be available to start working until late May.  However, a common start date for jobs in higher education is July 1st, the start of the new fiscal year.

2)  Be flexible.
One mentor told me that for your first job after graduate school, "You can choose the location, or you can choose the exact type of job, but it's difficult to choose both."  Given my experience and current education level, I think it's important to just get some professional experience at this point.  I really want to stay in the Philadelphia area though, so I've been seeking out specific schools and looking at jobs in both admissions and event-coordination.

3)  Don't be afraid to negotiate a salary.
One of my professors talked to us about this earlier today.  She said that the concept of negotiating a salary may seem taboo, even though many jobs provide a salary range rather than a set dollar amount.  My professor encouraged us to leverage our skills and education to try to negotiate the best possible situation.  A classmate who works in the Career Services office at Penn added that referencing data about average starting salaries in a certain field is also helpful.  

4)  Networking is key.
Another professor shared with my class that 80% of today's hires are a result of some form of networking.  Especially for recent graduates, networking seems very intimidating.  I enjoy talking with people, but navigating how to work in the fact that you are looking for a job can be difficult.  One thing that I have realized is that networking does not have to be akin to "schmoozing"; it can just be mentioning that you are on the job market and maybe contacting the person a few weeks later to ask about potential openings at their institution/department.  

I hope these tips are helpful!  I'll add some more as I receive/think of them.  Have a great week, everyone!