With graduation comes an onslaught of new responsibilities and adventures, from finding a dirt-cheap place that’s just nice enough that your parents won’t be in a tizzy, to paying your own bills for the first time, but none are quite as daunting as locking down that first post-grad job. Like most collegiettes, you’ve probably done all of the prep you thought you could ever need—you rocked out an internship or two, you slaved away at your resume and you’ve got a couple of killer recommendations. But like many collegiettes, you may have found that even that isn’t enough. If you’ve got nothing but a string of rejections to show for your efforts, then it might just be the little things bringing you down. Here are a few tweaks you can make to get yourself out of that job hunt slump and get you on the radar of an employer:
1. Retool your resume. By now, you’ve probably heard that it’s crucial to confine your qualifications and experience to a single page – the trick is what things to include. Mira Lowe, former editor–in-chief of JET magazine and associate editor for recruitment at Newsday, believes that one of the most common resume pitfalls is failing to properly sell what you have to offer as an employee. “Qualify and quantify things,” she says. “Don’t be shy about stating that you were the first or only to do something, or that you led a project or that you started an initiative. Show with examples what you have accomplished, don’t simply tell it.”
Recruiters will oftentimes blow through hundreds of resumes a day, leaving about 10 seconds of attention for that one page that is meant to represent all of your achievements, so forgo flowery, flashy descriptions of work experience for a factual account of accomplishments. It’s important to keep in mind that most applicants will have similarly jam-packed resumes, so the way to catch an employer’s attention is to communicate what you brought to the table in each individual situation in the clearest, most illustrative way possible. So, for instance, don’t just say that you’re a “good problem solver.” Give your potential employer a specific example of a time when you exhibited those killer problem-solving capabilities—if you bailed out a big project in crunch time by devising a new approach, say that instead. Trade in descriptors like “innovative” for anecdotes about what innovative ideas your brought to the table. Not only will you stand out for your specificity, they also won’t question whether you’re giving yourself too much credit.
For more tips on perfecting your resume, check out this HC article
2. Cultivate your online presence. If no one’s told you that your future rides on whether or not an employer can dig up photos of you with a red cup in hand, then you missed out on an important part of the college experience. But keeping your Facebook profile squeaky clean isn’t the only thing to keep in mind while tailoring your privacy settings. “From Facebook to Twitter to LinkedIn and beyond, your biography, photos and postings should be personal yet appropriate,” Lowe says.
What employers see online can definitely make an impression on how they view you as a candidate, so keep in mind that you don’t just want to lock down anything incriminating – you want to leave them with something positive to remember. Thanks to Facebook’s extensive privacy settings, it’s easy to hide inappropriate posts and photos while still allowing an employer to get a sense of who you are instead of blocking them out completely. If you’re involved in any extracurricular activities or working on any projects with a social networking presence, make sure that you’re making posts about them that are visible to someone who might be looking to hire you. Showcase all of the unique things you offer because seeing them will help shape an employer’s impression of you. It also doesn’t hurt to show that you know how to use social networking in practical applications.
Another hot tip on managing your social presence: Make sure to keep your personal Twitter on a private setting and check to make sure that your tweets don’t automatically post to your LinkedIn profile or some other place on the web the professional world can see. And, if you do need to lock down your Twitter, make a separate, public account that documents your career-related ventures and proves your tweeting process.
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3. Give them something to remember. So, you’ve made it through the first round in the application process and landed an interview. Maybe you’ve landed a handful of interviews, but can’t quite seem to seal the deal. The first step, of course is to make sure you’re checking the boxes for basic etiquette: dress to impress, have a firm handshake, be polite and speak articulately. If that’s not quite enough to get you across the finish line and get you the job, then try getting more personal. Alysse Zecha, assistant media manager for Toys ‘R’ Us and recent graduate of Hofstra University knows her way around the business world and can’t stress enough that the personal touches can make or break your chances. What does she suggest in an interview setting? “Provide them with interesting facts about yourself that can be applied to the job, that will stick out and resonate in their heads.” If you’re applying for a job at a music magazine and you played the flute for 10 years, tell them! It shows that you have an understanding of music that goes beyond simply appreciating it. Or, if you’re vying for an English teaching position and you starred in a handful of your own high school plays, share that with an employer because performance abilities are a great asset to someone who to lecture to a classroom full of students every day.
There is no shortage of qualified individuals in today’s job market, so anything you can do to leave a lasting impression will increase your chances of beating out the competition. Relax, shake off those rejection blues, and gear up to give your prospective employer something to remember you for. It’s important to keep in mind that they aren’t just looking for someone who ticks off all of the pre-requisite boxes—they’re choosing a coworker who they might be interacting with on a regular basis, so a personal connection can be just as important as the skills you have to offer.
Another tip Zecha offers: Don’t be afraid to smile. “A smile is sometimes worth more than anything,” she says.
4) Put your knowledge of the company to work. When prepping for an interview, research is key. Employers will take notice of whether or not you’ve taken the time to familiarize yourself with their principles and operations. But if you really want to impress them, don’t stop at simply devouring as much information about them as you can get your hands on. Keep in mind that most candidates will go in with a basic knowledge of the company, so in order to really wow an employer you’ve got to take it to the next level and engage what you know. One easy way to do that? “Offer suggestions of things you might want to do in the job,” Lowe says. “If you have landed an interview it means the employer is interested in you, so use the opportunity to show how you would bring value to the company.” Walk into your interview ready to pitch new ideas you have for the company—or stories for the publication—and a plan of execution. This shows a deeper understanding of the job and an enthusiasm for making meaningful contributions instead of just becoming another cog in the corporate machine.
A good strategy for getting a better sense of the company: Start out on their official website where the bulk of the fundamental info you need to know will be, then fan out to the rest of the internet. If they have a Twitter, browse through their tweets to familiarize yourself with the company culture. If they have a Facebook, hit that up too. Doing a Google search of recent articles written on them will also get you up to date on relevant current affairs within the company.
5) Ask the employer why you didn’t get the job. You can read all of the self-help books in the world, but one of the best resources you have is your own experience. Instead of taking the rejection to heart and walking away with your head hung in frustration, take a moment to do a post-mortem with the employer. “While you may be disappointed, the feedback can be very valuable in helping you fine-tune things for the next opportunity,” Lowe says.
Most employers are more than happy to give you the extra minute of their time to explain where you fell short and nothing will give you a more specific idea of what to work on than their constructive criticism. If it’s a job that you could apply for again later down the line, they’ll also appreciate your interest in trying to improve instead of blowing on by to the next opportunity. They may not be able to tell to why you weren’t hired because of legal reasons, but there’s certainly no harm in asking. If you have the number of your contact at the company, giving them a quick ring might be the best game in town because you’ll get an answer quickly and if they are able to provide you with some insight, you’ll be able to ask questions about anything you’re unclear on.
With these tweaks in mind, saddle up and get back on that job-hunt horse. They may be just the thing you need to break that rejection streak.
Photo Sources:
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