By Bailey Van Den Heuvel | February 24, 2017
Are you a senior that’s about to graduate? Are you stressing about how to find a job, or don’t even know where to start? Don’t worry, Career Development has your back. Here are some tips and ideas on how to get started.
Step 1: Utilize Career Development. Monster.com says one of the worst mistakes college students make is not taking advantage of your college’s career office. Do not be shy, come in with any questions you have and we can help you look for jobs, apply for internships, or even small things like making a résumé.
Step 2: Have a detailed résumé, but not more than one page. Having a résumé that is too long can be monotonous and boring to employers, and one too short can be too vague and not have enough information. Make sure your résumé has important information like when you intend to graduate college, important classes or groups you’re involved in, and previous work experience. Click here for the Career Development résumé information page.
Step 3: Start networking. According to Business Insider, “Networking is one of the most important things you can do to increase your chances of getting a job, and it will continue to be important throughout your career.” Whether it is professors, alumni, or family friends, get your name out there and make connections. You know what they say, it’s not what you know, it’s WHO you know. It’s not always true, but it is very important in landing a job.
Step 4: Clean up your social media. We all like to have fun now and then, but go through your profiles and take down anything that may seem inappropriate to employers. Hiring managers do check your social media to see what kind of person you are outside of work. Something you have on your profile might be something funny that you enjoy, but to your potential boss, it might be a huge turn off and you could lose your chance because of a bad photo choice.
Step 5: Prepare for interviews. Having a good résumé and cover letter is great, but being impressive in person is just as important as on paper. Perform practice interviews with friends, professors, and even Career Development staff. If you aren’t quite ready for that, Career Development offers InterviewStream, which is a pre-recorded video of a person interviewing you. It will make the interview process less stressful and you’ll feel more prepared, which makes you more confident in the interview.
Step 6: Have an open mind. You won’t always find your dream job when you’re just starting out, and that’s just a fact of life. Sometimes you just need field experience in order to work your way to that perfect job. Apply to as many things as possible. Keep your mind open to something different that might not apply perfectly to who you are. Job experience is important regardless of what you want to do.
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