Since my fellow seniors and I are looking and applying for jobs, I want to write about things we all need to remember when doing so.
You are qualified.
You are about to complete your undergraduate degree. You most certainly learned something from taking classes or doing internships and that knowledge and skill set you have sets you up for your first job. Take a look at the job descriptions – you can handle that.
You won’t be offered every position you apply for.
Sadly, you won’t be offered every position you apply for. You shouldn’t expect to. For every application you send in, there is probably someone with more experience applying for the same position.
One rejection doesn’t mean the end of your search.
Because there is likely a more qualified individual applying for each of the jobs you apply for, you can’t be discouraged when you get rejected. Getting rejected doesn’t mean that you are unprepared; it just means that they had another applicant whom they thought would be a better fit.
Proofread your resume and cover letter multiple times.
Would you hire someone who had spelling errors in their resume or someone who listed the wrong company name in the cover letter? I wouldn’t. Make sure your resume and cover letter are 100 percent accurate because those can make or break your chances before you even talk to someone in person.
Have other people proofread your resume and cover letter.
The more eyes the better. Other people can find mistakes that you missed. When more people proofread your resume and cover letter, you have a better chance of it being flawless.
Apply for what you want to do, regardless of how many other people are probably applying for the same position.
If you see a position that you think you’d really enjoy but it’s at a workplace that seems to be very high in demand, apply for it! You never know the outcome of sending in your application unless you do it. You also never know what the person/people reviewing your application will see.
Apply as soon as you see a job posting.
The sooner you get in your application, the better. The person/people looking at applications will generally look at the applications in the order of their submission. You want your potential future employer to know that you are enthusiastic about applying and on top of your game.
Use your professional network.
Use your academic advisor, your former internship supervisors, anyone you’ve made a lasting connection with in the past few years. They can give you tips to applying and sometimes even connections to companies that may have an opening. They can put in a good word on your application if they know the person reviewing it and that could give you the little extra boost you need to get offered the job.
Get excited about applying for jobs!
You are starting your independent adult life. That’s something you should be excited. You get to begin leaving your mark on the professional world. Who knows where that will take you.
Don’t give up.
It’s not easy to keep applying when you haven’t landed an interview yet, but you have to keep trying. There is a company and job out there for you and you have to keep applying to find it.
