Job resources
Summary of jobs from HW#3 (FS24)
Where to find jobs
A great place to start if you’re overwhelmed is the ComArtSci Career Center. The folks there can help you figure out what kinds of jobs to look for based on your degree and what you want to do, how to craft a resume or write a cover letter, etc.
Most in-person tech-focused jobs in Michigan are in the Detroit Metro area and Ann Arbor. There are also some in the Lansing area and some in Grand Rapids. Chicago also has a lot of tech jobs. There are also a ton of full time remote tech jobs out there, too.
General sources for finding job postings
- MSU’s Handshake - more than just jobs, also has events and etc.
- Indeed
- Glassdoor
- Dice - focus on tech jobs
- USAJobs - federal government jobs
- All Tech Is Human - focus on responsible tech jobs
Many of these systems have features that allow you to save specific searches and have new jobs matching those searches sent to you via email. I highly recommend using this feature if you’re actively searching for jobs. (Key tip: you can filter all the emails these sites send you into a “Jobs” folder so they don’t clutter your inbox.)
Local resources
- Ann Arbor Spark - southwest Michigan-focused job board that’s also very tech focused; they also have events in Ann Arbor regularly
- State of Michigan Department of Technology, Management, and Budget careers - state government-focused job board that’s tech heavy
- MSU IT frequently posts new jobs on MSU Careers and on HandShake. Their news page also has announcements: for example, from October 16, 2024
Follow companies
Big tech companies like Microsoft, Apple, Google, and Amazon all have their own job boards. Many smaller companies and organizations also post new jobs on their websites. If there’s a particular company or organization you’d like to work for, keep tabs on their website or social media profiles for job postings.
Companies also post jobs on LinkedIn a lot. It can be really helpful to look for jobs at specific companies on LinkedIn because then you can also search for employees of that company and see what kinds of job titles people there have and what kinds of work experience those people have.
Job/career fairs
ComArtSci holds career fairs once a semester: keep an eye out for emails from them for the dates, or contact the career center to ask. MSU also has a general listing for MSU-hosted career fairs.
Some other local-ish career fairs:
- Lansing Community College Job and Internship Fair
- Washtenaw Community College Career Fair
- Ann Arbor Spark Tech Homecoming
- State of Michigan Virtual Job Fairs
- Grand Rapids Tech Week
How to find career fairs:
- ComArtSci career center!
- Handshake sometimes lists career fairs
- search EventBrite. Here’s a search for Lansing career fair events and one for Ann Arbor / Detroit career fair events
- JobFairX - lots of virtual job fairs
Tips for going to job/career fairs:
- dress nicely - slacks / skirt / blouse / jacket / collared shirt / etc. Wear comfortable shoes, you’ll be standing the whole time. No jeans or t-shirts! Don’t have any nice clothes? Try the MSU Career Closet
- print out copies of your resume - 10-15 copies - so you can hand them out
- don’t expect to get a job or even an interview (but sometimes this can happen). Main reasons to go to a job fair: a) see what kinds of companies are there, b) see what kinds of people they’re looking for, c) get contact info for recruiters (e.g. LinkedIn)
- look at the list of companies who will be there ahead of time and prioritize who you want to talk to first (especially important for really big fairs!)
- have an elevator pitch: your name, major, year in school, what kind of position you’re looking for. Ask them to tell you what they’re looking for.