Job Search Advice For Graduates

Congratulations, graduate! You have finally completed your lengthy educational journey pursuing knowledge in hopes to be successful in the working world. The time has come to enter the contemporary marketplace where “Survival Of The Fittest” is the rule of thumb.

Based on your education, you are most likely aware of the kind of job that you want to start building your career with. However, there are some gotcha’s associated with searching for the right job and you need to ensure that you don’t make the wrong move at the very beginning of your career. If you are agile enough and have the right information, you will not have any difficulty in selecting the right job. Whether you are looking for a part-time summer job or a full-time job, you can benefit from the the advice given here.

First, all job seekers have a much better chance of success by avoiding the following common job hunting mistakes:

1. Not being proactive: This is not the time to sit back and be casual in your approach. You should create a list of 5 to 10 target companies and utilize your network to know what’s happening around them.
2. Depend only on Internet resources: Facts show that a majority of job-seeker respondents admitted that real-life networking was the main booster in their job searches.
3. Not widening your network: Utilize the connections of your parents, grandparents, and friends. There are absolutely no limitations in networking.
4. Not customizing your resume: Don’t just Google for a resume template. Be creative and get some tips, from sites like ours, on creating an attractive resume that contains all your vital information.
5. Failing to follow-up: It is not just enough to just send resumes and wait for the phone to ring. The recruiters are not waiting for just your resume to arrive, they have tons of resumes like yours to sift through. A friendly follow-up can show that you are truly interested.

Avoiding these mistakes will see you through to the stage where you can now start applying modern job-seeking techniques. Companies are evolving, and so are the ways they search for the right candidate for a position in their organization. Here are some proven ways in which you could enhance your overall job-seeking efforts.

Create a LinkedIn profile: While depending solely on the Internet is not advised, you simply have to leverage the wonderful opportunities provided by this social networking platform for professionals. Include your high-school details, extra-curricular activities, social causes that you support, including awards and accolades, your skills, and a short summary of your capabilities. Keep on updating it as you grow and accumulate more work experience.

Create your own blog: Writing on subjects that you have mastered during your educational years gives you an advantage over the others when recruiters are searching for the best candidate. Ensure that you mention your blog in your resume and LinkedIn profile where it can be easily located.

Get an internship: It’s never too early to start an internship. Students who have worked hard know the value of an internship, however, most of them fail to get them. A majority of students will admit that having an internship is very important to grow their career. The best internships are the ones with companies having a wider brand recognition, as they tend to help you in your future jobs in addition to enhancing your skills.

Find a mentor: Many smart students have a mentor, and the lucky ones might have someone from their family mentoring them. In addition, you could also have your professors guide you or even an experienced friend. A smaller percentage of students rely on social networking to find a mentor.

Utilize the school’s career service office: Though it may seem the most obvious way for a student to find a job, there are not that many students who utilize the school’s career service office. The school office may connect you with an alumni who works in your field of interest and this is where you could get the job.

Join an industry specific group: This is another untapped resource. Most colleges and schools have big professional groups pertaining to a specific expertise or industry. These groups could further connect you with the professionals that may interest you in boosting your career.

Broaden your horizons: While it is advisable not to apply for everything that comes your way, there could be specific branches within your expertise that you could consider applying for. In today’s tough and competitive market it is not possible to have the luxury of picking only the specific work roles that you are looking for. You need to open yourself up to broader horizons.

Conclusion: Don’t panic.

Your job search might take some time and most likely will take a lot of time. It’s a process that every student has to go through. You might not get employed instantly, however it doesn’t mean that you will stay unemployed forever. Get motivation from people around you and stay focused to reach your goals. Good luck!