5 Outstanding Job Search Tips For New College Graduates
There is little doubt to the fact that the job market has evolved over the past 10 or so years. There are many new factors that have come to play in the quest for searching for jobs among them being an economy that’s still recovering and social media adoption when searching for jobs. These and many other dynamics have left new college graduates worried about the best moves that they should make in order to land themselves some jobs.
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Below are five simple but effective pointers to how to go about searching for a job in this ever-evolving market:
Never Be Afraid Of Putting Yourself Out There
“Networking” is a word that has had its fair share of being thrown around without the gravity of what it means being taken into account. As much as it might come off as a cliché, it is one of the best methods that you could include in your job searching strategy. This applies especially to the just-finished-college graduates that are still deeply rooted in the contacts network that was in their school.
It is one thing having a wide array of contacts that you can network with and it is another putting these resources into use. The first thing that you should do is scrape off all timidity regarding approaching your contacts. After this has been taken care of, all that’s left is for you to form a workable structure of how to take advantage of your contacts.
In that structure, you should ensure that you keep in close contact with your advisors or professors. This provides you with a gateway of being able to inquire about any possible job leads and referrals. You should also consider requesting the faculty members that you’ve worked closely with to recommend you for an internship position which could culminate into a potential job opportunity.
Work Social Media Like You Would Work a Room
A common misconception that needs to be done away with is that social media is a place only meant for posting photos or showcasing personal lives for others to see and relate to such moments. However, what most people don’t realize is that it can be also used as an avenue for job applications.
You should make the most of the social media forums that you’ve joined and let them be an extra card that will help you land a job. One of the ways social media can come in handy for you is by joining alumni groups or any other organizations that fall in the field that you desire. After joining these groups, you should actively participate in their activities, group discussions and in case they have topics for research paper, offer to help in writing. All these things will help in bringing to light your expertise and skills for others to see and this could, in the long run, get you a job in that particular field.
You could also ask your previous advisors or employers to write recommendations for you in social media profiles such as LinkedIn thus improving your marketability. In Facebook, you should fill in relevant information in the Education and Work section to help you not miss out on any potential job opportunities. In Twitter, you should include a relevant profile of your work history to help employers to identify you easily.
Look at The Bigger Picture
Being a recent graduate from college has many beauties to it that most of such graduates aren`t aware of. One of these beauties that you could take advantage of is the fact that you’re not necessarily bound to any specific region or city yet. Once you’ve realized this, then it’s possible for you to start looking at the bigger picture and taking advantage of your flexibility.
The best way to take advantage of this is by looking for jobs away from the usual hotspots of jobs. You don`t have to aim your search to the most high-profile and much-talked-about companies. These companies are the best to get employed at, but they have the problem of fierce competition in getting the employment slots. Consider looking for jobs in companies that you’re likely to get a job without bounding yourself to certain physical and geographical boundaries. Another way you can work on the bigger picture is by searching for jobs in companies that are in a different sector of industries but still give you space to do well in your original field.
Be Your Own Best Advocate
The fact that you just graduated college recently and have little working experience does not mean that you lack any experiences that can be shared. You should highlight all your academic achievements, internships, extracurricular activities or any prior jobs. Employers out there don`t expect that you can have a broad and decorated career history given the short time that you’ve spent out of school. It is upon yourself to point out the characteristics that show how good a candidate you are for a job at their place of work.
In interviews, make sure that you explain the manner in which the experiences that you`ve had in college can translate into making you eligible to get that job. In the event that you require more experience in direct work, you should try being a volunteer in a local organization or group. It will help you acquire valuable experience while concurrently doing good deeds.
Be Definitive About Your Goals
You should be careful to keep off from applying for all the positions available under the sun for it could alert potential employers. When employers get a clue that a candidate has applied for different positions in a variety of departments, it paints a picture of the person not being decided on the career path that they want.
You should focus on the company or job that best matches your career goals. It will enable you to effectively take hold of that particular industry that you so desire and in the process show your employers where your heart lies. In addition to this, it will give you an opportunity to gaining knowledge in the long run.
Conclusion
For the new college graduates searching for jobs, it is almost always difficult adjusting into the dynamics of the real world. The competition out there indeed can be stiff but don’t give up hope yet. The tips above highlight some of the best working methods that will see to it that you get yourself a job despite being fresh from college.
Which of the methods above has inspired you into looking at job searching from a different and better perspective?
About the author: With a background in education and entrepreneurship, Jake Lester currently writes for the educational blogging projects. Jake writes for many blogs and gives useful advices for entrepreneurs, students and educators. He likes to cover stories in productivity, careers and education.
