What EVERY Student Needs to Know About Applying For Jobs - with Keith Jones (career counselor at Penn State University)

I had an incredible conversation with Keith Jones, a Penn State career counselor, to talk what all college students should know about transitioning to a career after school. Keith breaks down LinkedIn strategy, interviews, and why 95% of companies now use Application Tracking Systems to screen resumes. He talks about the importance of relationships built freshman year (not senior year when it's too late). We cover essential resources like O*NET, The Muse, and free certifications from Amazon, Google, and more. Keith's philosophy? Position yourself so jobs chase you. If you're a student or parent, this conversation is packed with actionable advice you can use immediately.

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About Keith: 
Keith Jones is a full-time career counselor at Penn State University and instructor of counselor education. He teaches "Effective Career Decision Making," a course focused on helping students navigate the college-to-career transition through self-exploration, skills development, and strategic networking. Keith presented to the entire Big Ten Conference on the effective use of artificial intelligence in career counseling and education. His approach emphasizes building genuine relationships, leveraging LinkedIn strategically, and starting career planning early.

Chapters:

00:00 - Introduction: Keith's Role
01:37 - Ikigai & Self-Discovery
03:00 - Skills-Focused Resume
06:09 - O*NET Career Resource
10:07 - LinkedIn Development
17:02 - Career Fairs & Connections
22:50 - Advice for Late Starters
27:39 - Unpaid Internships Strategy
32:39 - Approaching Mentorship
36:44 - ATS Systems & Skills-Based Hiring
51:00 - Course: Effective Career Decision Making
58:21 - The Fishing Analogy
1:17:15 - AI in Career Counseling
1:26:31 - Map Out Your Career Plan
1:31:05 - Use Career Services

Career Databases & Research
O*NET Online - https://www.onetonline.org/ (US Department of Labor occupational database with salary info, skills, job outlooks)
The Muse - https://www.themuse.com/ (Career advice, interview prep, company culture insights)

Resume & Application Tools
Jobscan - https://www.jobscan.co/ (ATS resume optimization tool - paid)
LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/ (Professional networking & job search)
Indeed - https://www.indeed.com/ (Job search platform)

Micro-Internships & Experience
Parker Dewey - https://www.parkerdewey.com/ (Short-term paid professional projects for students)

Learning Platforms
LinkedIn Learning - https://www.linkedin.com/learning/ (Online courses & professional development)
Udemy - https://www.udemy.com/ (Online course marketplace)

Free Company Certification Programs
IBM - https://www.ibm.com/training (Free certification trainings)
Meta/Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/business/learn (Free certification programs)
Amazon - https://aws.amazon.com/training/ (Free training & certifications)

AI Tools
NotebookLM - https://notebooklm.google.com/ (Google AI tool that converts documents/articles into podcast conversations)

Career Advice Creators
Jeff Su - https://www.jeffsu.org/ & YouTube (Informational interviews, resume tips, career advice)
Rosie McCarthy (Badass Careers) - https://www.badasscareers.com/ & YouTube (Career coaching, personal branding, LinkedIn strategies)

THE HARLAN COHEN PODCAST New York Times bestselling author Harlan Cohen has candid conversations with top experts, and leading influencers. Guests share their greatest victories, devastating setbacks, and most valuable advice to help listeners dream big and take action. Hosted by Harlan Cohen, New York Times bestselling author, and speaker. Harlan is the founder of Best First Year, and has over 1 million books in print. His live events, books, programs, and workshops have reached millions of people and changed countless lives.