Graduating from college and heading into the working world can be intimidating for anyone, especially those who have yet to find a job.

From the Yellow Pages to the classified section in any newspaper, Carol White, associate director of the Career Services Center, said there are many different ways for graduates to find a career. She recommends using every available source.

The center’s Web site, which has direct links to online job vacancies, is partnered with monstertrak.com, a large job listing and resum? database for college students and alumni.

White said attending the Career Fair at South Campus Oct. 22 can be vital in gaining exposure to any given field. It is a way to arrange interviews with various companies, she said.

“The point is not only to get a job, but to get a feel for the marketplace,” she said.

There are two types of skills that most employers are looking for, White said. The first are career specific skills. This includes taking classes that pertain to the student’s major.

She said by taking specialized courses, students learn the skills and terms that are needed to succeed in a particular field.

“Most of the folks we have hired from (Western) have specific backgrounds that we look for,” said Terry McElroy, the director of human resources at Sun Microsystems, Inc. in Dallas, Texas.

He said most employers will be looking for someone with a degree relating to the company’s field.

White said the second type of skills that employers watch for are “transferable skills.”

Transferable skills deal with the personal qualities of work ethic such as communication skills, integrity, familiarity with computers and the employee’s ability to work well with other team members, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers magazine.

White said most employers who conduct interviews with possible candidates are turned off by those who have not researched the company well enough to understand what the job at hand entails or what skills they have that would be beneficial to the employer.

To succeed and land a high quality job, White recommends the use of networking, communicating with friends, family and acquaintances to provide information on any job leads.

White also said attending professional meetings and making contacts with companies of possible interest is important.

If it’s possible for students to get jobs related to their major, they should do it as soon as they can, she said. If this option is not available, White said, all jobs help build character.

For students who have already graduated, the Career Services Web site posts job openings in Louisville and across the country.

Some alumni have gone off to work for the Disney Worldwide Services in Florida, while others have gone to Glasgow to work at the R.R. Donnelley & Sons Co., which provides comprehensive and integrated communications services.

Addresses and contact information for these jobs are available at www.wku.edu/Info/Student/CareerServ/cscweb/.