If you're like me, you'll be graduating from college in the coming semesters or quarters. Soon, you'll be joining the workforce and you're probably freaking out right about now. You're scrolling through job listing, hoping to find something in your field that doesn't require a decade of experience, but that isn't settling into a job you hate or that is outside of your field.
Here are a few tips that will hopefully help you as you traverse the vast sea of job listings. Good luck:
1. Join LinkedIn.
This is by far the easiest and cheapest point on the list. Getting yourself on LinkedIn will help you connect directly with professionals in your industry. It will also allow to show off your skills and is a much more fun version of your resume. If you complete your profile, add a profile picture, and make sure to connect with everyone you know; you'll be sure to hit superstar status in no time.
2. Invest In a Good Suit.
This doesn't have to be horribly expensive. Places like Kohl's, Macy's, and JC Penney's all have affordable options (you might just have to shop the sales and search through clearance racks). You can even find decent suits and professional apparel at second-hand stores if you try hard enough and keep at it. But, you truly only need one good suit to land your perfect job. While, it's certainly clever to have a couple different shirt/ tie options, do what is affordable and best for you.
3. Sharpen Your Resume.
Most universities offer resume classes and/or counseling with peers or a professional to look over your resume. Do this. It is vital to have many eyes glance over your resume before you beginning sending off to prospective employers. Finding any problems, typos, or formatting issues is imperative and can be the difference between getting the job and getting your resume tossed.
4. Research, Research, Research!
Research local employers in your field. Know the names of the hiring managers, CEO, etc. Not only will this possibly turn up companies and job prospects you may not have thought of, but it'll also show dedication when you go in for an interview. You can often do it in spurts between classes and in your free time. LinkedIn is a great place to start as they will often recommend you jobs based on your skills and qualifications that you may not have even thought of or from companies that you aren't familiar with.
5. Practice Interviewing.
Yes, it's awkward, but it's important. Prepare your questions before the interview (more than two because often at least one of your questions they will answer when going more in-depth with the job). Think about the requirements of the job and what questions they might ask. Have answers prepared and rehearsed. Research the company before going to the interview because it's usually very likely that they will ask you why you want to work for their company and if you know nothing about the company, that's a hard question to answer!
6. Hone Your Cover Letters.
Just like with your resume have multiple people proofread your cover letter(s). Read them aloud. Do whatever it takes to make it look as professional as possible. Create a professional looking letterhead (which can be done simply just using the header option and your keyboard) that includes your name and contact information. Make sure to tailor your cover letter for each job you're applying for, but you can easily stick to the same paragraph/ sentence starters to have a rough outline.
7. Use Your Connections.
You might not consider your friends on Facebook or the friends in your classes your connections, but they may very well be the way you get your future job. Connect with them on LinkedIn. Make note of the companies they work at and what they do. If any are in the same field as you are, make sure to have their contact information. Just being a good friend and supportive can go a long way. This isn't to say that you have to be professional around them, it's just to say that sometimes your friends can help you land your future career.
8. Network.
Go to campus events within your field. Make friends in your classes. Go to conferences and events outside of your university (if you can afford to). Even if you just attend, you can talk about the things you learned from these experiences in future interviews. It shows that you are active within the community/ industry, something that looks good regardless of your major.
9. Know Your Field.
This might sound like a no-brainer, but often there are certain things you need to know if you want to hold an intelligent conversation at the future cocktail party. Find out what events, people, or scandals these are and research them so that you can sound experienced and intelligent. Some programs and universities have classes for this, other's don't. If yours doesn't, do your best to talk to people in the industry, research the history and scandals of the industry, and to stay current on the happenings of your particular field.
10. Be Passionate.
This one is easy. Show your passion for your field and a job opportunity. You won't appear desperate if you flaunt that you have loved this company since you were a child, or that you simply love the work they are doing with this or that. Not only does this show off your knowledge of the employer, but it shows that you are passionate about what they do. This is a good excuse to be a nerd about your field.
11. Be Yourself.
This is the most cliche advice, but also some of the best. You don't want to appear fake in a job interview (even if we all do put on a bit of a persona). You want to still be genuine and see the interview more as a learning opportunity for both you and the employer. Viewing it simply as a conversation to learn about each other and the job is a great way to approach interview to help with your nerves and to help keep yourself grounded during the process.
