Style June 5, 2018
Don't worry, you can do this.
Image via Corinne Kutz on UnsplashSo you’ve graduated from college. Congratulations! Now its time to transition from academia to the workplace. But in order to do that you need to find a job in your desired field. Sounds easy enough right? I’m sure many of you already realize that it’s not so simple to find your first job after college.
In fact, it takes around six months for the average college grad to find employment. But don’t despair. There are many steps you can take to help yourself land that first post-college position. Here are six tips for finding your first job.
On average employers look at a resume for less than 11 seconds! That means your resume better stand out visually, as well as content-wise. An employer should be able to see your previous positions and where you worked with a quick glance. Formatting and design are key! Don’t worry you don’t need to be a graphic designer to amp up your resume. You can find plenty of free resume templates online. Customized resumes can show personality. Just make sure the style of your resume is appropriate to your field. And always remember to PROOFREAD! Nothing disappoints and employer more than typos on a resume or cover letter.
You know the drill: get there early, dress professionally, smile, blah blah blah. While all of that is important, the best thing you can do for yourself is to research your potential employer. Know who they are, what they’re looking for and the mission of the company. Tell them how you will bring value to their business. If you don’t have direct experience, emphasize how your skills are relevant to their goals. Showing that you understand who a company is and what it is can separate you from the pack.
This a good advice even if you already have that first job. Make sure your professional social media accounts, like LinkedIn, are up to date and reflect all your skills and prior experience. Think of yourself as a brand and keep your tone and style consistent across all media. Professional websites can also help employers or recruiters search for you. If you don’t have that first job yet, think of LinkedIn as a clickable, searchable resume that you can refer potential employers to.
Networking is a great way to get your name out there. Reach out and meet with everyone! Contact companies and people in your field. Tell them you want to learn more about what they do. Even if there is not an immediate job opening, still meet with people who work in your field. Not everyone will have time to meet you but the ones who do will remember you. Then when a job opening or interesting opportunity comes around you’ll have already established a relationship.
If you have an internship then network with as many people as possible in the company. Find someone you admire and try to establish them as your mentor. After all, it’s not what you know, its who you know. Well, it’s also what you know but who you know if immensely important.
Just because you don’t meet all of the qualifications doesn’t mean you can’t get the job. The qualifications an employer asks for is their absolute wish list. It doesn’t mean that everyone else who is applying has all of those qualifications. If its a job you think you can do and you meet some of the qualifications, then go for it! You may not have direct experience but you can use related experience and skills. Also, you never know, maybe the company has another open position that you do qualify for! You’ll never know unless you apply. And since we’re on the topic of applications, apply for as many jobs as you can. Apply for some that you feel confident about and then apply for a few outsides of your range – it really can’t hurt and it keeps your momentum up.
Even if you nailed that interview and your resume is on point, rejections can and will happen. No one is going to judge you for crying in the shower for not getting that job you really wanted. But you can’t stay in the shower crying forever. Even if you don’t get the job, every interview you go on is great practice. Don’t give up and keep sending those applications outs!
