For Students and Recent Graduates
As a rule, the best jobs do not go to the best-qualified individuals — they go to the best job seekers. This is a vitally important point, especially if you are competing for an entry-level position. Even though you may compete with people who have stronger credentials, you can still get the job you want if you're willing to put in the extra effort and energy necessary to outshine the competition.
That brings us to a very important piece of advice: Don't let yourself get caught up in what everyone else is doing! Most college students, regardless of their grades, have all the basic requirements for the typical entry-level job. You must demonstrate that in addition to fulfilling the basic requirements, you stand out from the competition and deserve that extra consideration. If you know that a large number of people are trying to interview with just a few highly sought-after companies, don't spend all of your time doing the same. Instead, try to interview at the companies others may have overlooked. Try something different, and you'll be likely to come across several job openings before your competition does.
Go Get Some Experience
Perhaps the biggest problem college students face is lack of experience. Many schools have internship programs designed to give students exposure to the field of their choice as well as the opportunity to make valuable contacts. Check out your school's career services department to see what internships are available. If your school does not have a formal internship program or if no available internships appeal to you, try contacting local businesses and offering your services. Often, businesses are more than willing to have an extra pair of hands (especially if those hands are unpaid!) for a day or two each week. Or try contacting school alumni to see if you can “shadow” them for a few days and see what their daily duties are like.
Internships aren't just for students. If you didn't do an internship while still in school, doing one after graduation can still be beneficial and, if you're planning on getting into some of the more competitive fields, practically unavoidable. Advertising, public relations, entertainment, and publishing companies have a history of hiring former interns. Even if your internship doesn't turn into a full-time situation, you'll be well on your way in the field. You'll have made contacts, learned important skills, and added another credential to your resume.
What do you do if, for whatever reason, you weren't able to get experience directly related to your desired career? First, look at your previous jobs and see if you can highlight anything. Did you supervise or train other employees? Did you reorganize the accounting system or boost productivity in some way? Accomplishments like these demonstrate leadership, responsibility, and innovation — qualities that most companies look for in employees. And don't forget volunteer activities and school clubs, which can also showcase these traits.
Taking Action Before Graduation
One important way to get that “extra edge” in your job-hunting campaign is to start as soon as you can. It bears repeating that the beginning of your senior year is an ideal time to begin; by the time graduation comes along, you'll be well into your search and will have several possibilities in mind that you're prepared to take action on.
Companies often send recruiters to interview job candidates at various colleges. The on-campus interview is generally a screening interview, to see if it's worth the company's time to invite you in for a second interview. Do everything possible to make yourself stand out from the crowd.
The first step is to check out any and all information your school's career center has on the company. If the information seems out of date, check out the company on the Internet or call the company's headquarters and ask for any printed information.
Do most students have jobs secured before they graduate?
No. In fact, most students won't have jobs by the time they graduate. So if you fall into this category, don't panic — you can still take plenty of other steps to distinguish yourself. For example, internships and part-time jobs in your field are not bad ways to gain some experience.
Many companies will host an informational meeting for interviewees, often the evening before interviews are scheduled to take place. Do not miss this meeting. The recruiter will almost certainly ask if you attended. Make an effort to stay after the meeting and talk with the company's representatives. Not only does this give you an opportunity to find out more information about both the company and the position, it also makes you stand out in the recruiter's mind. If you had your heart set on a particular company but weren't able to interview with them, attend the information session anyway. You may be able to persuade the recruiter to squeeze you into the schedule. (Or you may discover that the company really isn't the right fit for you after all.)
Interview Tips
College students are notoriously inexperienced with interviewing. It makes sense; these are people who've been in school virtually their whole lives. Many employers will expect a certain level of inexperience, but that makes this an even better opportunity for you to strut your stuff. Consider the following helpful tips.
Try to check out the interview site beforehand. This includes knowing how to get there — and how long it will take. Having an idea of what to expect will also help you prepare mentally.
Arrive at least fifteen minutes early. The last thing you want to do is undermine your opportunity to make a good first impression by being late.
Make sure your communication skills are up to snuff. If you want to be taken seriously, you need to be able to communicate clearly, intelligently, and professionally. Practice eliminating slang and curses from your vocabulary before the big interview.
Never lie about your GPA. Some employers ask for this information, and others don't. If they do ask, and you lie, the truth may be revealed later anyway (in your transcript, for example). You can, however, explain if there is a reason you don't feel your grades reflect your abilities, and mention any other impressive statistics.
Conducting Your First Job Search
Ideally, for the first few months after graduation, try to look for a job full-time. If you're able to do this, be sure to work from a vigorous, intense job-search plan that allows you to invest about forty hours a week.
Vary your activities a little bit from day to day — otherwise it will quickly become tedious. For example, every Sunday you can look through the classified ads. On Monday, follow up on these ads by sending out your resume and cover letter and making some phone calls. On Tuesday, you might decide to focus on contacting companies directly. On Wednesday, you can do more research to find listings of other companies to contact. Thursday and Friday might be spent networking as you try to set up appointments to meet with people and develop more contacts.
Many graduating students enter the job market thinking that getting a job will be like applying to college. Applying to companies isn't like that at all. Success will not go to the job searcher who invests little effort, becomes discouraged, and takes the first job possibility that comes around. Remember, the time you put into your job search will be time well spent if you make sure all of that effort and energy is going in the right direction.
If you don't have a job secured after a few months, you might also consider finding a part-time position, even if it's not in your field. (Financially, it may be something of a necessity at this point.) With a part-time job, you'll earn some money and gain a valuable sense of personal accomplishment. After some time of tedious searching, you'll probably have dealt with your share of stress; a part-time job will break up your routine and keep you motivated and enthusiastic about your job search. Working part-time also displays initiative and a good work ethic, which is something recruiters like to see.
