Are you getting closer to your graduation now? Yes, soon you will dive into an exciting world of paying bills. After throwing a cap into the air and having fun at a graduation party, you may wake up next morning feeling a headache that might mean not only a hangover but also an understanding of an urgent need to find a job. Avoiding that is possible if you start thinking about your future as early as possible. Actually, the best time for this would be right now!
All students happen to find themselves in the same situation when looking for a job after college. On the one hand, the number of opportunities seems huge. There are hundreds of ways open in front of you, and you are free to choose any of them. On the other hand, most of the recent graduates get lost, not knowing exactly where to move on. So, what should you do when you’re fresh out of college?
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Keep Your Mind Open
First, you should realize that you will hardly get a job at Microsoft or on Wall Street right after graduating from college. So, the key thing you should keep in mind when starting your job search is that you need to be open to everything.
Your first job is the platform you will base your future career on. At the beginning, you have no experience and practical knowledge of how everything actually works. So, don’t hurry to turn down the offers if the position doesn’t involve exactly what you wanted and if the salary is lower. This is certainly not your last job. Remember that after gaining the necessary experience and knowledge, you will be able to change this job for a better one.
Now, try to send as many applications as possible so that you could have more worthy options to choose from. It will be wise to broaden your search. That is, if you focus on a narrow field, it will be hard to find a job quickly. For instance, if you dream of a career in public relations sphere, you may google marketing jobs for recent college graduates.
The next piece of advice may seem opposite to the previous one – try to define as clearly as you can what job you actually want to get. If you are ready to spend 8 hours a day in the office, there will always be lots of options for you. But if you prefer a more flexible schedule, you may always consider freelance opportunities. Being a student, you have probably typed “jobs online for college students” into a search query at least couple of times. So, why not enter your adulthood with a remote job too?
Work on Your Image
In today’s world, social media activity is getting more than just a way to spend leisure time. Many employers check the candidates online before interviews, so you need to make your social profiles look good.
Think about how it can represent you. Follow communities that represent your personal and professional interests, fill in all information concerning your experience and education, be careful with what you are posting or retweeting on your profiles, etc. Try to show that you are a serious person interested in getting a serious job.
One of the useful recommendations for those who are in their last year of college is to do an internship as early as possible. Besides giving you a practical knowledge of how the job in your field actually looks like, it may give you some advantages in future. Getting an internship in a reputable company may open up great opportunities for you.
Pay Attention to Your Cover Letter
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When you start scouring the Web in search for a good job, you may notice that there aren’t tons of career opportunities for recent college graduates. So, in order not to get lost in the shuffle, you should create a powerful resume that will impress potential employers. You will always find numerous tips and examples online. But remember the main thing – your aim is to demonstrate you are the right candidate for the job.
Some basic points to consider when writing a resume:
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Keep it simple: cover everything that is necessary, but don’t give too much information. No one will spend half an hour on reading your resume.
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Focus on what is important in your field only – if you are applying for a position in IT-company, mentioning your summer job as a shop assistant is unnecessary;
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Leave all the contact information in the resume – if it is easy to get in touch with you, chances to get a response will increase.
The process of beginning a career may seem scary, but remember that everyone has been there.
Nobody starts with an executive position, but your start can become a solid ground for your future
career. A number of recent college graduate jobs is actually not as small as it may seem first. You
only need confidence, desire, and real efforts to succeed.
Nobody starts with an executive position, but your start can become a solid ground for your future
career. A number of recent college graduate jobs is actually not as small as it may seem first. You
only need confidence, desire, and real efforts to succeed.
Author:
Lisa Griffin is a blogger and freelance writer. Her lifestyle credo is “Education is the most powerful weapon, so we have to use it with a bright mind”.
