Class of 2022 job search tips was originally published on College Recruiter.
So you’ve graduated. Now what? It’s time to figure out your next move. Getting a job after graduating college often means figuring out where your career and finances are heading, and that’s a big deal. A recent study from Moneywise shows that financial literacy is extremely important for graduating students to understand as they enter the workforce. It’s not something you should take lightly, and it’s important to be prepared for the journey ahead.
Job search tips
If you’re looking for a job that can kickstart your career after graduation, you’ll want to start with a plan. Sit down and write a plan of action for getting your foot in the door, detailing every step you want to take to make it to your ultimate goal. As part of this plan, you should fine-tune your resume; include every bit of experience, every skill, and every relevant thing that will help you land a job. Write a solid cover letter to go with it, highlighting your ambitions and the attributes you possess that make you a great employee.
Next, you’ll want to research entry-level positions in your field of interest. Look everywhere you can online and bookmark as many jobs as you can. From there, you can start applying. One great place to start your entry level job search is on College Recruiter. College Recruiter offers thousands of great jobs geared towards students and recent grads. Edit your cover letter to fit each specific job, adding or taking away things and personalizing it. You can even do the same thing in some cases with your resume; rearrange specific skills and highlight items in different places that make sense for that particular application.
While you’re applying for jobs, make sure you’re keeping up with industry events and online communities in your desired line of work. Try networking on LinkedIn, joining groups, and generally making connections with people in your field. This can go a long way in not just having professionals in your corner but, in some cases, even landing jobs that you may not have otherwise stumbled on.
Another great thing that networking can do is open up the possibility of internship opportunities, which are invaluable experiences when you’re trying to start your career. Consider an internship right out of your college career, even if you’d participated in internship programs while you were in school. These internships can create essential connections and make getting a job more manageable.
Once you’ve applied for a job or completed an internship, you’ll want to try to stay in touch with leadership at companies you admire. Staying in touch shows an eagerness to be involved and will make employers remember who you are. Attend events that these companies might put on publicly, and generally try and maintain your presence with them in one way or another. This especially goes for companies you might have applied for but was rejected by. If you show yourself to be someone with drive who’s excited about what the company is doing, you’ll most certainly be remembered.
Finding the right job out of the gate once you’ve graduated might seem daunting at first, and it will take some time and motivation to land the right one. But if you have the determination and you’re ready to put yourself out there, there’s no reason why you can’t land an incredible opportunity that will set you on the path to an exciting career.
— Article by Sean Kelly. In addition to being an analyst researching the latest industry trends for College Recruiter, Sean Kelly also co-founded a nonprofit local news publication in Savannah, GA called The Savannahian.