Career Services

The resources in this section are for use in your job or internship search. Appointments with Design Career Services are also encouraged for additional resources, advice, and support. To schedule an appointment, please email designcareers@iastate.edu.

CyHire
Organizations recruiting Iowa State students for professional positions and internships post opportunities on CyHire. You may search for positions, set automated searches, upload your resume, and view career fair information, company presentations, and more. Please review information in your profile to receive accurate information about opportunities.

Career Fairs
ISU Career Fair dates (Plan to attend Design Career Fairs as well as fairs hosted by other colleges!)

GoinGlobal
GoinGlobal provides location-specific career and employment information for 40 countries, 30 international cities, and 50 U.S. locations. This includes worldwide internship and job postings, work permit and visa information, top employers by location, local nonprofits, cultural considerations related to job searching, helpful information when visiting or living in an area, and a database of U.S. employers that have provided sponsorship for H-1B visas. 

Research and networking
Professional associations, events, the Design Career Fair, other ISU career fairs, firm websites, chambers of commerce, LinkedIn, and volunteer experiences may all be valuable resources in your search. Look at professional association websites and reach out to professional connections to build your network. Additional resources: Get more out of networking (recorded webinar, presented by Danny Beyer ’16, courtesy of the ISU Alumni Association).

Resumes

A resume quickly communicates your qualifications to a potential employer for the purpose of gaining an interview. Resumes should be organized, clear, and concise. You may use different versions of your resume depending on the intended audience and position. For example, resumes submitted for design positions, non-design positions, or graduate school admission may vary in content.

Cover Letters

Success with your job search is largely dependent on your ability to communicate professionally and effectively by email, by telephone, in writing, and in person during interviews. Cover letters introduce your qualifications and interest related to the employer and position.

References

Applicants should expect to provide three or more professional references during the application process. References should be people who will speak positively about your work and qualifications, and should be asked before you provide their name and contact information to a prospective employer. Sharing your resume and descriptions of positions you are seeking will help them prepare to respond.

Portfolios

Students in design programs will be expected to show a portfolio or work samples when applying for positions and internships. A portfolio is a collection of work that visually communicates your design skills and experience. Your portfolio should include your strongest work and only high-quality images. Presentation should be thoughtful and clear. Formats include web sites, PDF documents, and printed work in books or cases.

Practice and preparation make a big difference! When interviewing, be prepared to address qualifications sought in the job description, demonstrate knowledge about the employer and their projects, ask sincere questions, speak about your experiences and qualifications, and present your portfolio.

Interview preparation resources

• Big Interview offers videos, tools to practice, immediate feedback, help developing responses, negotiation tips, playbooks for addressing different challenges and circumstances in interviewing, and more. Students, create a free account using your ISU email address. Alumni may request free access.
• Mock interviews are offered by Design Career Services staff. Please email designcareers@iastate.edu to schedule. Include your resume and the position description (if available).
• Salary range information can be found using several sources. Design Career Services reports salaries for students’ first destinations after graduation, and other resources for salary research can be found online. Some sources include: Educate to Career, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Coroflot Design Salary Guide, AIA Compensation Salary Survey Calculator, Payscale.com, and/or CNN Money to compare cost of living between two cities.
• LinkedIn Learning includes videos covering interviews, negotiation, attire, job offers, navigating multiple offers, declining offers, and much more related to job seeking, starting a new position, and work. (FREE, just log in with your ISU email address and search.)

Attire resources

• Guide to deciphering “business” and “business casual” attire recommendations
• LinkedIn Learning includes videos addressing types of attire that may be expected in different situations

Evaluating offers

It is always appropriate to ask for job offers in writing and for time to consider the offer.

Offers should include your possible title, start date, salary, and benefits. Health insurance, personal time off (vacation, sick leave, etc), company culture (values, practices, attitudes, customs, etc), promotion opportunities, opportunities to do certain types of work, travel, salary, and location are some considerations when evaluating job or internship offers.

Resources:

• LinkedIn Learning includes videos covering job offers, navigating multiple offers, declining offers, and more.

Negotiation

Salary negotiation is common and expected. Be sure to back up your request with information (typical ranges for the location, job) and qualifications that warrant an amount higher than the offer. There may also be other factors that are negotiable. Resources:

• Meet with Design Career Services staff for assistance understanding or negotiating an offer.
• Big Interview also offers a short curriculum on negotiation.
• LinkedIn Learning includes videos covering negotiation and more.