Your first step should be reviewing the employer's web site. While it may be difficult to determine how truly supportive any employer is, exploring some key indicators can give you a sense of the espoused values of an institution. These indicators include:

• A statement of their commitment to diversity, including goals and programs
• Non-discrimination policies and a stated commitment to them
• In-house employee support or social networks for people of color
• Diversity rankings of employers by various organizations
• Recruitment efforts in cultural diversity publications or events
• Membership in professional organizations for people of color
• Racial/Ethnic diversity amongst the senior management and Board of Directors

• The web can also be useful in determining an employer's commitment to diversity by enabling you to research an employer's compliance with federal laws. Use your favorite search engine to enter the employer's name along with an identifying term such as "civil rights violation" or "lawsuit." Additionally, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission's web site has an appellate briefs search engine that you can use to search for employers of interest. You want to also note when the employer's problems with discrimination occurred; often charges of discrimination can lead to an employer introducing new policies and changing the culture of their organization.

  Finally, and most likely to indicate an employer's commitment to diversity, is the information you gather from speaking to current employees, faculty, friends, family, alumni and others. When interviewing, make sure to ask current employees about the work climate. Good questions could include, "What is it like to work here? Could you describe the organization's culture? Could you give me an example of the organization's commitment to diversity?" Talk to your friends and family about the employer - have they heard anything positive or negative about it? Lastly, CSU alumni are an excellent resource of information; they have volunteered to provide career advice and information to current students and other alumni through the CareerRAM Network. You can use this tool to explore potential employer environments.

  While none of these steps guarantee that you will find a truly committed employer, they assist you in making a more informed choice. For more information, read on the CollegeJournal.com.

Perhaps the question should be, "why do I need a mentor?" Mentors can help you grow personally and professionally while sharing experiences, giving advice and providing support. Basically, mentors help you succeed - however you define success. This is especially true when you face discrimination and/or culture shock from attending a predominately white institution. Mentors do not necessarily have to be from your own racial/ethnic group, but should be someone you feel comfortable with and is supportive of you.

There are many different types of mentors and it can be a formal or informal relationship. You may choose to have a professor or student services professional as a mentor while in college to support your learning and development. As you move towards your graduation, you may choose to identify a mentor in your field of interest to support your career development and job search. In choosing a mentor, figure out what you need first and then explore the possibilities to see who fits best. As you start in your first position, you may also find that your employer has a mentor program that assists new employees in learning and adjusting to their workplace.

Where can you find a mentor? There are many resources both within and outside the university community - some offer formal programs, other offer informal opportunities for networking. Finding a mentor might involve some work on your part, including pushing yourself outside your comfort zone. Some opportunities include:

• Professors, student service professionals, advisors and other staff members.
• Check out Peer Mentor programs at the Advocacy Offices: Asian/Pacific American Student Services (A/PASS), Black Student Services(BSS), El Centro Student Services, Native American Student Services (NASS).
• Supervisors or other individuals from internships, work-study positions, part-time jobs or research positions
• CSU Alumni that have volunteered through CareerRAM Network.
• Professional Associations for people of color such as the National Society for Hispanic Professionals, the National Association of Asian American Professionals, Hispanic Alliance for Career Enhancement, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.

You develop a network for many of the same reasons as finding a mentor. In fact, you can use many of the same resources to develop a network as you did to find a mentor. So, what is a network? A network is a web of connections that you deliberately cultivate and build relationships with in order to support your career development. A network is not a group of people that you connect with to ask for a job; it is a group of people that you develop a relationships with in order to learn more about a particular career field, find out more about potential employers and build lines of communication that allow you to make others aware of your job search. This network can support you throughout your career exploration and your job search, making your decisions and strategies for finding work much more effective.

Now that you know how to build a network, who should you contact? Some possibilities include:

• Your classmates and friends - Your best friend may have an in at a cool marketing firm or a fellow psychology major may have interned at the local human services center. Share information with each other and it will make everyone's job search more effective.
• Alumni - Again, check out the on-line network of CSU alumni, CareerRAM Network
• Family, friends of your family, and your friends' families - All can be incredible sources of advice, information and connections.
• Professors, advisors, staff members or coaches - Many of these people have connections outside of academia as well and are well connected in a variety of career fields.
• Guest speakers - If there is someone speaking either in your class or on-campus that works in a field of interest, attend their presentation and make a point of speaking to them afterwards and getting their business card.
• Supervisors or other individuals from internships, work-study positions, part-time jobs or research positions
• Members of professional associations (see the information in the mentor section).
• Greek organization alumni - If you are Greek, many organizations have a national networking program designed to connect fraternity brothers and sorority sisters across the country.

There are many diverse magazines and professional associations that rank or rate different employers regarding their commitment to diversity. Each uses different criteria, so be sure to research what is factoring into each listing. These rankings are another guideline for determining if an employer is committed to diversity. Several rankings available on the web include:

• CollegeJournal's compilation of Top Diversity Employers Rankings
• The Black Collegian's 50 Top Diversity Employers
• Hispanic Magazine's Corporate 100
• GoldenSea's 50 Great Employers for Asian Americans
• Diversity Inc Magazine's Top 50 Companies for Diversity

Many employers who have a commitment to diversity will recruit at job fairs for specific affinity populations. There are many of these throughout the country. The following are just a sample of the Diversity Job Fairs available:

• PSI Diversity Job Fairs
• DISCO International Career Forums for Japanese-English Bilinguals
• Asian Diversity Career Expos
• National Society for Hispanic Professionals Job Fairs
• Diversity Career Group Job Fairs
• List of Diversity Career Fairs on the Multicultural Advantage web site