You’ve finally graduated from college, which is really exciting. While it is extremely common and not unusual to have a degree, this expensive piece of paper opens many doors. Once it belongs to you, the next step is to look for employment.
The process of applying for jobs can be intimidating and stressful for most graduates. The time has come to rely on what you’ve learned as a student and start your career. In order to push you in the right direction as you throw in your applications, I’ve put together a list of lessons I’ve learned from my own post-graduate experience.
1. Tailor your resume specifically for the job you are applying for.
Sending the same resume to every company or agency you're interested in is a bad idea. Every job you apply for is going to have different requirements, therefore every potential employer will be interested in different aspects of your education. Maybe you want to be a lab analyst at a research firm that focuses mostly on small molecule compounds in human matrices. Or perhaps you’re more interested in a research firm that focuses on studying the genetics of livestock or soil composition. Maybe you want to work for AmeriCorps, creating education materials about ecology and the environment. All of these job applications would need slightly different resumes. You want to emphasize what is relevant about your experience to the job you are applying for.
2. Include a relevant coursework section on your resume.
I know from experience that this is a very effective way to garner attention. Make a list of courses you’ve taken that have made you a more qualified candidate for the job you desire. List them under a section entitled “Relevant Coursework,” situated under the education section on your resume. Refer to them by course name, such as “Introduction to Genetics” or “Organic Chemistry.” Obviously, it’s not helpful to say “BIOS 205” or “CHEM 209.”
3. Give yourself more credit for what you’ve done in your classes (especially labs).
No employer expects you to be an expert in any particular area. That’s not why you went to college, anyway. You went to college to learn how to think, solve problems and get exposure. I, for example, am no environmental policy expert. I did, however, take a class about environmental policy which has given me a working knowledge of the subject. That has become helpful when applying for certain jobs. Maybe you don’t have extensive experience with mass spectrometry or proton NMR, but you used those tools a couple times in your organic chemistry lab. Great! Put that down. Believe it or not, those skills matter. You’re a beginner, of course, but you’ve started and you should take credit.
4. Be prepared for rejection.
It is completely normal to get a little excited with anticipation after sending off our applications for jobs we have our hearts set on. We envision ourselves in these new roles, gaining professional experience and making some money (finally). These new opportunities are potentially the start of a career, financial independence and a new stage in our lives. It’s what we’ve worked so hard for, right?
Right, but it might not happen. Rejection is very realistic and probable. Think about it. You just graduated from college. You may have been a star student with high grades and glowing letters of recommendation, but you have little to no professional experience. Experience is what employers care about the most.
During these first few years after graduation, you will be the professional newbie, the underdog. You’re a tiny minnow in a pond full of much bigger fish that like to eat minnows. (It’s actually not that bad, but still, be ready for those rejection letters.)
There are going to be other applicants with more experience than you. They may have a better education that is more specific to the job than what you have or they may seem more compatible with the company than you do after the interview process. Sometimes, there is a candidate whom you’re potential employer had in mind to hire before the job was even posted. Don’t sweat over a lost opportunity; there will be more, so keep applying.
5. Don’t work for free.
Unpaid internships are common these days. It may seem tempting to take an unpaid position. After all, you’re fresh out of college. You have little experience. How much could you actually be worth anyway?
Well, you've spent four years of your life and thousands of dollars on an education. It is the biggest investment of time, energy and money you will probably ever make. Your college experience was (I’m assuming) filled with a myriad of engaging coursework, labs, research papers and presentations.
You went to school for a reason: to have a good job that pays the bills and is hopefully somewhat interesting as well. You’ll be damned if you work for free. Besides, how else are you going to pay your student loans?
