Finding a job after graduation is another challenge graduates face but never the less, there are some tips and resources that can help you get a job easily without having to work from one company to another of submitting countless of resumes and cv without positive feedback.
Starting your profession as a fresh college graduate might be thrilling. Discover tips and resources on how to write a CV, conduct interviews, network, and more. You may have an advantage over other job seekers because you recently graduated.
It doesn’t matter how old you are or how much “real world” experience you have—finding a job may be a difficult task. However, according to financial educator and ADLT 101founder Jennifer Jackson, “people want to help students.” Additionally, despite just having graduated, you still exude a “student glow.”
You may find others are willing to refer you for a job, review your résumé, help you practice interviewing, or sit down for an informational interview to discuss a company or career path.
Outlined below are the tips and resources required in finding a job easily:
Define Your Goals
Some people, adds Jackson, “simply want to find a decent job.” However, when they do, the working environment isn’t ideal. They could have to restart their job hunt or feel forced to remain in the unsatisfactory position, missing out on valuable possibilities in the process.
Setting goals before you begin finding a job may help you prevent errors or hasty judgments. Start with a broad scope and avoid imposing constraints on yourself because of your academic background.
“When you’re joining the workforce, keep an open mind,” says Luigi Prainito, senior vice president and US head of internal recruitment at Phaidon International, a global recruitment firm. “Just because you have a specific degree or internship experience doesn’t mean you have to work in that field.”
Then, start to narrow your search by answering important questions about where you want your career to take you:
- What do you want to learn?
- Where do you want to live?
- What industry do you want to work in?
- How much money do you want to make?
- What size company do you want to work for?
- What kind of work-life balance do you want?
Prainito encourages reflecting about your favorite college activities as a useful exercise. If it was belonging to a sizable student organization, you might want to look for a business with a similar sense of community and mission. Perhaps you might concentrate on businesses with offices throughout the world if you enjoyed studying abroad.
It could take longer to finding a job if you go through these exercises and only apply to positions that will help you reach your goals, but you can be more confident that the position you do find will be a good fit.
Assess Your Skills
Another crucial component in finding a job is understanding what you can offer prospective employers.
Your educational and professional background is crucial, and you can emphasize your accomplishments in interviews, cover letters, and on your resume. However, don’t restrict yourself to paid internships or summer work. According to Jackson, “Work experience doesn’t just encompass things you were paid for.” You can also make advantage of pertinent extracurricular activities and class assignments.
Additionally, there are self-assessment and personality tests that could help you understand your strengths and growth points. You can use these insights to steer your job search, apply for jobs that match your strengths and highlight the results during an interview.
Based on your results, certain evaluation systems will suggest particular types of employment. With some, you might need to consider how a trait relates to potential professions. For instance, if your results indicate that you are forceful, competitive, and determined, you might want to look for a sales position where you can make the most of these qualities.
Do Your Research Before Applying
“It’s easy to apply to every job when you’re looking,” Jackson says. “But focus on the jobs you really want and you’ll have time to put extra effort into those applications.” You can spend that time researching the company and industry.
When researching a company, make a point to review its website to learn more about its history and mission. Also look for press releases, which could give you insight into the company’s recent accomplishments or upcoming plans.
You can then reach out to current and former employees, either through your network or directly via LinkedIn. If you see fellow alums who work, or worked, at the company, they could be a good place to start. Some may be willing to discuss things like their experience at the company, its culture and how it treats employees.
Learning about industry news can also give you material for your cover letter and interview. You might read about recent discoveries, changing laws or mergers that could impact the company. Your reading might even give you some ideas for which companies will be hiring soon.
Tailor Your Résumé and Apply
At this point, you’ve already put yourself in a good position because you know what you want, can articulate the skills you will contribute to the organization, and have done your homework on its culture and mission. Utilize this information to tailor your cover letter and resume to each individual position.
To screen resumes, however, many businesses employ automated applicant tracking systems (ATS). A human person might never have the chance to read your resume if it doesn’t pass the ATS’s filters. Fortunately, assistance is accessible.
“There are services that will scan your résumé and a job description to see how well your résumé matches,” says Jackson. “That can help you get through the automated screen so a real person will see your résumé.”
Prepare For the Interview
Continue your research and preparation after being selected for an interview. Along with attempting to discover more about the business, try to identify who will be conducting interviews. You could speak with the hiring manager or recruiter who invited you for the interview.
The interviewers’ names can then be searched to see whether they have any online publications, bios on the firm website, or LinkedIn accounts. Finding common ground to talk about during the interview could be facilitated by being aware of their professional and educational backgrounds.
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Make a point of practicing being interviewed. You could practice in the mirror, ask friends or families members to help, or hire a career coach who can give you professional feedback. Practicing could ease your jitters as you learn how to respond to common questions.
Preparing questions for the interviewers is also a good idea. “You can interview them too,” Jackson says. “Ask about the average day for the team or about the company culture.” You could even ask the interviewers about the challenges that will come with the role, why the job is available and what an ideal candidate looks like.
You can ensure the particular position and team are a good fit by asking questions. Additionally, it shows that you are serious about your job search, that you have done your homework, and that you are picky about the jobs you accept.
Stay Goal-Driven and Organized
When you don’t have a job, looking for one might be emotionally stressful, adds Jackson. “Stay positive by surrounding oneself with positive people or people who are also hunting for work.”
You can find in-person groups where you can work on applications with others or join social media groups where members can discuss their job search strategies.
Most importantly, setting measurable objectives that you have control over may also keep you motivated and on track. Jackson asserts that you have no control over how many callbacks or interviews you receive. However, you can concentrate on what you can do to advance toward achieving your objectives.
