Hey seniors! I’m sure you don’t really want to start thinking about going out into the “real world” (I sure don’t!), but now is the time to start applying for your big girl jobs. If you’re like me, you’ve been dreading this day for some time, and are scared out of your mind at what’s to come. Your mind has been racing with tons of questions. How many places do I need to apply? What does a good cover letter look like? Is my resume appropriate for the field? Did I complete enough internships? Before you totally freak out, stop whatever you’re doing and read on for some good tips on the job hunt.
Research, research, research. And then research some more. Over winter break, when I originally found out that NOW is the time to apply for jobs, I was completely in the dark about what opportunities existed. Do a quick Google search: “insert your major here” jobs in “insert your desired city here.” You will probably be surprised at the opportunities available.
Print out a copy of your resume, after you proofread it a million times. Proofreading is something that a lot of applicants overlook, and it can land your application and resume right in the trash. Don’t have a resume? Make one, then go to Career Services and schedule an appointment with them. After they approve it, take it to your academic advisor. Your advisor will know what a resume in your field should look like and will be able to offer tips and formatting advice that you may not have received elsewhere.
Be sure to include words from the job description. Yes, the. You’ll need to tailor your resume to each job you apply for, and use words from the description to help your chances of being found in resume databases. For example, a description that asks for, “experience with Microsoft Office,” will probably not pick up, “can use Word.” On your resume, make sure to list your relevant jobs, for instance if you are applying for a job as an accountant, the recruiter won’t care that you were a birthday party helper at a gymnastics gym. The recruiter will, however, care about your internship with a local accounting firm or a service learning project you completed.
Write an amazing cover letter, and address it to someone in the company. Even if you don’t know exactly who will be interviewing you, find the name of someone in the company! It shows that you have initiative and took the time to do your homework. You should make a new cover letter for each job you apply for, and use words from the job description here too! It is important to use your cover letter to say, “Here’s what you’re looking to do, and here’s how I can help accomplish that,” but not in those words! Make sure to highlight how you can help the company, and not the other way around. Don’t refer to the job as a stepping stone on the path where you want to end up. You are applying for this job, and if you hint that this job is not where you want to be it doesn’t look good to recruiters.
Be open to internships. Only had one internship in college and don’t feel quite ready to take on the world yet? That’s totally fine! There are plenty of internships that are open to recent college graduates, you just have to look for them. Again, Google! Internships can give you great field experience, and in some cases they are paid. Look for summer internships that you can complete this summer and put on your resume for future job hunting.
Network. I’m sure you’re sick of hearing it, but networking is so important. You never know who knows who, and who can get you your dream job. Check out this slide show for some tips on how to network.
Apply! Just go for it, after you proofread your stuff of course! You can’t get hired if you don’t apply, so get on it, and good luck!