How to Put Your Best Application Forward

Although the Thanksgiving holiday is just a week away, it is inevitable that the final weeks of the semester have caused an overload of work. Finding an internship, a job or even beginning the application process screams “FRUSTRATION!”

Keep in mind, winter break is a month long and will be the perfect time to recoup from the semester, and it’s not too late to “put your best application forward.”

Here are five tips on how you can expedite this process and make it seamless. In fact, I bet you may even enjoy exploring your own career aspirations.

1.      Industry – Make sure your experience and interests match up with what a company is looking for. Do your homework and know the company. By doing a little research you’ll know what specific skills you need to succeed in a particular industry. For instance, if you are interested in a consulting job, stay away from marketing firms looking for sales representatives.

2.   Location – Commit to applying in areas that are plausible for you. Is it realistic to intern in a location that you do not see yourself in the long term? If the location is realistic for you, this is the time to ground yourself and NETWORK, NETWORK & NETWORK. Life is all about taking chances, but be smart and pursue endeavors that take into account the means you have to fund your living expenses, your commute, and your own personal happiness.

3.   “Market Yourself” – Your application is the perfect opportunity to showcase your skill set to potential employers. First, cover letters are not common but if necessary—make them personal. Stay away from generic letters that you have sent to over fifty companies, instead make it specific about the company. Next, your resume is a key component that requires constant review and updating. Utilize your career center on campus, your friends and family to clarify spelling and grammar. One misspelled word could make you application dismissed from a pile of several other resumes. Finally, make sure you have a LinkedIn account. This is the virtual resume that draws more connections than you may think.

4.   Keep Calm & Search On – Don’t give up! It’s easy to get frustrated when an application doesn’t lead to a job, but that does not mean stop. Sending more applications out teaches you more about the process, which ultimately allows you to be more confident and understand what you truly are looking for in a job or internship.  

5.   Follow up – Make sure you pursue potential employers and keep in touch. Companies like to see you have continued interest in a position, so keep following up until you end up with the role you want!