Starting your job search
Trying to find a job after graduation is a long and stressful process. Knowing what to do and using your resources can help you find the right job by graduation. I recently received two offers and accepted a job in New York after graduation. Now I am reflecting on the process and the best ways to get a job during your senior year of college.
The first thing to do is make sure you have a strong resume. Make sure your resume is well organized and free of errors, grammatical or otherwise. Tailor your work experience to specific jobs you are applying for. I was applying to business analyst-type roles, so I left off my job at the daily scoop and teaching swim lessons. I used more space to emphasize my economics summer program, my internship at a wealth management firm, and my experience with Women in Economics.
You should also make sure you have an up-to-date LinkedIn profile. You can put all the experience and skills that you could not put on your resume and could even get interest from employers through your messages. LinkedIn is also a great place to look for job postings and reach out to UW-Madison alumni in positions you want to apply to.
One of the most important things to do is apply a lot and early. I applied to about 100 jobs before I received my two offers and one of my friends applied to about 80 before she got hers. Applying early, especially for more technical positions, can give you more time. You will need to keep track of all these applications. Many people keep a spreadsheet with links to job descriptions, updates on their application status, deadlines or other important information. This was way too stressful for me because I did not like to see the number of applications I had sent out. I found it helpful to make a folder of all my applications with documents containing each job description. This was great when I had interviews because I could pull up the job description, take notes, and look at important information about the job and company.
Make sure you read the job descriptions thoroughly and submit the required and optional materials. If they have somewhere you can submit a cover letter, write one. It can help move your application through the process.
Sometime before or after applying, it is a good idea to reach out to people you know at the company. If you know any family members or friends, they could help get your resume seen and move you along to the interview process. If you do not know anyone, use the UW-Madison LinkedIn page to find alumni at the company and reach out. It is a great way to make connections and learn more about the position. Networking and staying connected with people can help you get a job now and can help you in the future if you are looking for a new job.
Preparing for interviews is also important. You should research the company and make sure you know the job description well. Make sure you have stories and examples prepared for basic behavioral questions. Glassdoor is also extremely helpful to see what kinds of interview questions a company usually asks. I always go through people’s posts about past interview questions for the role and have responses planned. When you are interviewing, be relaxed and confident and try to make it flow like a conversation so you can ask questions and respond to their answers.
If you are stuck on all these steps the best thing to do is go to the career center and get your career advisor’s help on your resume, cover letter, LinkedIn page, applications and networking. They have a lot of great advice and resources and know a lot about past students’ experiences.
If you do not know where to start looking for jobs, LinkedIn and Handshake are great places to start. I did not know exactly what I wanted to do after graduation but searching common jobs for economics majors and looking at the jobs past econ majors have had right out of graduation gave me a good idea of what to look for and where to apply.
I found my job through the career fair. I went to the virtual fair and met with companies with positions I was interested in. I spoke with an HR representative about the position I was interested in, and she fast-tracked my application through the process and helped me get an interview. It was great getting to hear and speak to someone familiar with the company and role before my first interview and it helped me come up with talking points.
Getting a job took a long time and was stressful and time-consuming but it is so rewarding when you get an offer, and you will feel so much relief. I am so excited to move to New York after graduation and have completely new experiences.