7 Job Search Tips for Recent College Graduates

So, the next big question that comes to mind is where am I going to search for jobs? Jobs themselves are greatly varied and are targeting different people. So, not every job is meant for recent graduates. So, the next question that pops to mind is where am I going to find jobs for recent graduates?

It is crucial to find the right place to search for the job, in order to actually get the right job.

So, let’s jump right in.

1. Internships
A very crucial part of the searching part is your past experiences. Often, recruiters are looking for experienced candidates, rather than graduates who had no prior experience whatsoever. So, to have an edge over others, be sure to mention all the internships you have been involved in. At times, there are internships that also consider giving you a job offer. Such internships may also be considered. After all, they not only give you the valuable experience as an intern, but also offer a job as an additional incentive. If you are a graduate who has no prior experience whatsoever, go for internships as soon as possible. Try to accumulate experience and build your resume. It is extremely important to go for internships as it makes your resume look more attractive for the recruiter. Presentation is also a very important aspect. Simply saying “Internship” or even “Internship with Company X” is not helpful. It is advisable to instead clearly mention what internship it was, for instance, “Accounting Internship” and so on. Recruiters are looking for specific experiences from their applicants, so ideally, do mention your internships clearly, especially if it is related to the job you are applying for.

2. Using Connections
It is often said that “it is not what you know, but who you know that matters”. Using family relations, or even alumni connections to push for a recommendation could greatly improve your chances at getting a particular job. So, they are a very crucial part of the process. Do not hesitate from calling in your family connections. Contact your relatives and see if they can help you out in this matter. Try to build a network of connections starting from the family itself. Alumni associations and meetups are the best way to get acquainted with the seniors who may know the right person and could help you in the job searching process. If not, you could always reach out to them, through your school records and get acquainted with them and so on. Connections are a crucial part of the job searching process. In the real world, the recruiters are not only looking for grades and numbers. They prioritize real experience and connections far more. So, essentially, knowing the right people can greatly help in getting the right job.

3. Have a Plan
The main problem that graduates face after college is the question of “what next?”. Do not be part of that crowd. Have a plan of what you are going to do after you graduate. Have an idea of what kind of a job are you aspiring for. More importantly, have an idea of how you are going to achieve the said aspiration. It is important for graduates to plan out their time effectively. They need to search for the right job and in the right places. For that, it is vital that you know what you seek.  If one is unsure or does not have a plan, s/he is left behind as compared to those who have a clearer vision. The one who is uncertain would end up wandering from jobs to jobs, with no clear idea of what to do next in life. So, planning is important not only to effectively search for job, but also to have an edge over others in terms of how prepared and dedicated you are towards a particular job.

4. Be Prepared
Rather than simply waiting for a job, or only searching for them, it is much more fruitful to actually prepare for them. A good way is to prepare is by tackling common questions asked in interviews. An integral part of interviews is personality, so the personality of students is also extremely important. So, it is important to work in that dimension. Another area that could be tackled is confidence building. Being prepared for questions itself helps in building confidence of the applicant, as s/he would feel prepared to face any obstacle. A good way to be fully prepared for an interview is by holding mock interviews with relatives or friends, or even in training centers for that matter.

5. Keeping Track
Equally important to applying, for the right job at the right place, is keeping track of the current happenings and updates regarding your job. For instance, if you are looking for a job in the ministry of agriculture, it is important for the applicant to keep track of what is going on around the ministry and what areas it is focused on. This kind of preparedness helps in having an edge over others in the interview round. Furthermore, it is important to keep track of all the openings and the job opportunities. It would help you to have a better grasp of where you stand compared to other candidates and what chance you have in getting that job. Keeping track of all the opportunities might even open new doors for you that you had not foreseen, leading you to a better job than you expected. So always keep track of what is going on around you.

6. Online Presence
Today, most of the things happen digitally. So, it is equally important to maintain an online presence. It is important to have a detailed and elaborate resume and personal details page on sites like LinkedIn, which are often used to look for jobs. Similarly, it is important to also keep it up to date.If you have a strong presence in social media, that is also extremely useful. There are certain companies that look for these individuals to help with their marketing. So, you could use that influence to search for the right job for you. You could pull in your social media connections to give you the recommendations and suggestions for the job as well.

7. Resume
Often, the resume tends to speak more about you than your presentation and how you give an interview. The resume forms the first impression that the recruiters have of you, at which stage, they may already decide if they want to select you or reject you. So, it is extremely important for the applicant to focus on their resumes as well. Before you start with your search for a job, work on your resume first.An ideal resume is short yet touches upon everything about the applicant. So, it should have the experiences, internships, workshops and activities that you have been part of, which is relevant to the job you are applying for. It should also have some mention of your traits that may be beneficial for the job, and some testimonies from your contacts. All these should be regularly updated and presented whenever going for an interview.
So, keep these tips in mind the next time you head out hunting for your dream job. Also, more importantly, keep an open mind and an alert eye. Be ready for the first big opportunity you get and don’t wait too long on them. So get ready. Your next big job is right out there waiting for you. Go and get it.