General Job Search Strategies

Students posing at Career Fair
Our job search strategies are here to help relieve some stress and guide you in the right direction.

Searching for a job can be a time-consuming process. Before you begin applying, you need to have an idea about what you are looking for. You must know yourself - your skills, interests and abilities and how you would like to use them in a career. You also should conduct research on employers and the career fields that interest you. There are many ways to identify job opportunities and we encourage you to use more than one approach to locate opportunities that fit your needs. The articles, handouts and websites listed below will help you get started.

When you begin to apply for jobs, you will need targeted resumes and cover letters. For guidance, read about job search skills or meet with a career coach for a resume or cover letter review.

Job Search Policies and Best Practices

Job Search How To’s

Researching Employers

The resources below are a starting point for learning more about various companies. In addition to making use of the internet to do research, we encourage you to talk to people in the fields you are interested in to learn more about specific organizations.

Job Search Websites

There are many job search websites available to you. Here are a few to get you started. For resources specific to your major, see Career Resources by Major.

Please exercise caution and common sense when searching online by reviewing tips on avoiding job scams listed below.

Avoiding Job Scams

Wondering if a job posting is a scam or not? If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Here are some indicators that a job may be fraudulent:

  • The promise of a large salary for very little work.
  • You are asked to send/wire/transfer/deposit money (cash, check, money order, etc.) to/for the “employer.” Even if they sent you a check to deposit in your own account; the check could be fake.
  • You are asked to reship packages (you could be liable for receiving/distributing stolen property).
  • You are asked to give credit card or bank account numbers, or copies of personal documents.
  • You are asked for an initial investment and/or to send payment by wire service or courier.
  • The posting includes many spelling and grammatical errors, uses a generic email address (i.e., @yahoo.com or @gmail.com), and/or has a basic or incomplete website.
  • The posting description focuses solely on the amount of money to be made and neglects to mention the responsibilities of the job.
  • The employer offers employment without an interview.
  • An online search of the company name and the word “scam” (i.e., “Acme Company scam”) shows results.
  • If you have any questions or suspect a job scam, please email the Career Center at .

Additional information on job scams, including what to look out for and how to report scams, can be found on the Federal Trade Commission website.

Fraudulent Employer Disclaimer Statement

All job/internship opportunities and employer-published events on Handshake are posted by external organizations without endorsement, direct or implied, by Towson University Career Services or Towson University. The Handshake platform is provided free of charge to employers and student/alumni job seekers, and the university explicitly makes no representation or guarantees about job listings, events, or the accuracy of information provided by employers. The university acts only as an intermediary between employers who post and candidates who seek job opportunities. It is the responsibility of students to perform due diligence in researching employers whenever attending an event or applying for or accepting private, off-campus employment and to thoroughly research the facts and reputation of each organization. Students should be prudent and use common sense and caution when applying for or accepting any position or attending any event. Towson University is not responsible for employers’ representations or guarantees with regard to job postings or events.

If you suspect a position or employer is fraudulent, please email the Career Center at . If you believe you are the victim of fraud from a job listing, please contact University Police immediately.