Next month, many students will be graduating and some will be heading into many different places but most hope to head into the workforce.
Next month, many students will be graduating and some will be heading into many different places but most hope to head into the workforce. For those lucky enough, the job hunt has probably already begun. However, there are plenty who are lost or feel stuck because they don’t know what to do and every time they ask for help, they get vague answers or they are told things they already know.
Breathe. We’re here to help.
First Step: Research
Find out what YOU want in a job. Is ethics important to you? What about life/work balance? What are some cities/states you would like or not like to live in? Which companies in your field share similar values? What are your best skills and not so great skills?
It is important to understand what you are looking for before you start looking. It helps so that you are not blindly applying to places, instead, you are applying to places that would be a great fit for you. “Research the company, the industry, the culture, the job description and sincerely ascertain whether they have the skills or experience you are looking for,” said Jorge Bermudez a Speech professor at Virginia Commonwealth University who has worked about 20 years in Human Resources for various companies.
Second Step: Brand Yourself
Have you revamped your resume lately? What about your cover letter? Do you have a business card? What do you have to offer?
First, you should perform a S.W.O.T (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats) analysis on yourself. Once you’ve determined what your strengths and weaknesses and opportunities are and things that could threaten your chance of getting where you need to be, try to put together your resume and play up your strengths. As a rule of thumb, your resume should be no longer than a page (depending on how much experience you have). On your resume you should include your education, experience with quantifiable evidence of that experience and the dates of which you received said experience, related courses (if any), and contact information. Make sure that your resume is printed out on a heavy stock paper, organized and legible (try to keep it at a size 12 font). Before you print, proofread your resume and make sure that there are no grammatical errors and that your resume contains keywords from the job posting.
Networking is also an important part of branding yourself. Expanding what you know and who you know will help you get to where you want to be. If you don’t have an account on LinkedIn, create one…now. LinkedIn is a great tool for connecting and networking in your industry or in your desired industry.
Dr. Meg Jay, a clinical psychologist who owns a private practice in Charlottesville, Virginia, wrote in her book The Defining Decade: Why Your Twenties Matter and How To Make The Most of Them Now about weak ties, based off of sociologist Mark Granovetter’s work on social networks. According to his work, most useful information and new opportunities come from people outside of your social circle, the people you know but not well, your weak ties.
Third Step: Apply
Monster, Indeed, Career Builder, and MediaBistro are all great job search engines but can be overwhelming with the amount of results that you get back, especially if you are unsure of what you’re looking for. Try to narrow down the companies that would be a good fit for you. Most companies have websites and on those websites, they may post jobs or career opportunities that you can apply to directly through their site.
When applying to a job through an online site, CAREFULLY read the description. Use those key words in your resume and cover letter. Make sure if you have not heard anything, you should follow up within a week. If you do hear from them and they want to schedule an interview with you, try to schedule an interview around 10:30 a.m on a Tuesday according to this Glassdoor article entitled 5 Tips: Best Times To Schedule An Interview.
Foutrh Step: The Interview
The interviewing process is probably the most nerve-wrecking part of the job search process, rivaled only by the anxiety that ensues when waiting to hear back about the interview.
Day before the Interview:
– Research the company thoroughly along with the person that is interviewing you
– Calculate the amount of time it would take you to leave your location and get to their location 15 minutes early (account for traffic)
– Eat a hearty dinner — try to avoid gaseous, fatty, or greasy foods
– Prepare questions for your interview — do not ask questions that you can easily find through a Google search or on – their website because it shows lack of research, interest and/or knowledge about the company.
– Do NOT drink alcoholic beverages or smoke the night before your interview. It might sound like an easy feat but many
– people show up to their interviews with a hangover. It will NOT impress your manager and most certainly will not get you that job.
– Sleep for at least 7-8 hours
– Pick out your clothes for the interview the night before — Your clothes should reflect the company that you are applying for. Not every company requires a suit and tie interview outfit. However, it is important to remain professional. Try not to wear all black or gray, you’re not going to a funeral and colors may influence positive or negative responses.
– Record yourself answering common interview questions through places like Interview Stream – self-awareness is detrimental. Once you see what you do wrong in an interview, you can fix it.
Day of the Interview:
– Wake up at least 3 hours before you need to leave your location
– Eat a full breakfast
– Go over your research of the company
– Go over your questions
– Make sure that your outfit is ironed and stain-free
– Leave your location promptly at the time that you calculated the night before
– Make sure that you bring a notebook, pen, two copies of your resume, and references and your portfolio.
– Do not wear too much cologne or perfume
At the interview:
– When you arrive at your destination 15 minutes early, it looks good to the company but it also helps you to calm your nerves
– If you are offered a glass of water or a cup of coffee, accept it.
– Have a firm handshake. Make sure that your palms aren’t sweaty and don’t try to break their hand.
– Sit up straight. Do not touch your face, mouth or hair. — Body language and non-verbal communication makes up about 80-90% of human communication. Slouching shows that you aren’t confident. Don’t talk with your hands too much.
– Don’t forget to smile
– Look at your employer in the eyes but do not have a staring contest with them, it might make them feel uncomfortable.
– Avoid the ums, buts, likes and other verbal distractions. Take time to answer your questions.
– Do not be so over prepared that you sound like a robot.
– Ask your questions
– Thank the interviewer for their time
After the interview:
– Send a hand written Thank You letter to the person that you interviewed with
– If they give you a follow-up time period and you do not hear from them within that time period, send a follow-up email about a day or two after said time period
– If they accept you for the position then congratulations!
– If they call you back for a second interview, review all your notes from your previous interview and prepare just as well for the second interview as you did for the first
– If they have moved on to someone else, don’t give up, keep searching.
