Fox Business News recently posted an article listing tips college students could use to aid their job hunt when they graduate. Earlier, SparkNews posted an article discussing college students that were unsure about their future because of the weak job market. Perhaps with some of these tips, college seniors and juniors that will soon be entering the work force can get a head start on their job hunt.
1. Start Making a Game Plan Now
Students shouldn’t wait until they graduate to start thinking about finding a job. If students start hunting for jobs when they are juniors, they will have a leg-up from their classmates who will likely start looking for jobs when they graduate. “Many organizations are identifying top talent very early on. You can really increase your chances of landing a job that you have in your sights by engaging them sooner rather than later,” said Caroline Paxman, the president of the Americas for SHL. In addition to starting off early, students should tailor their resumes and cover letters to the specific job postings. It is very easy to reuse the same resume and cover letter, but without tailoring your application and documents to the job posting, you will most likely not get the position.
2. Change Your Job Prospective
The article in Fox Business News suggests that students keep an open mind when it comes to post-graduation jobs and to not limit themselves to one specific position. It is not realistic to think that once graduation hits you will find your ideal job. In this market that is very difficult to do. Paxman says though that “any experience that can be applied later in a career can be beneficial in the long run.” For example, if you are set to graduate in 2012 with a Journalism degree and have your mind set on landing a position at Rolling Stone Magazine as a writer, that’s fine. Don’t be discouraged, though, if snagging a job as a copywriter for a publication that focuses on tile flooring comes first. It may not be your ideal position, but it is a means to an end, and chances are you will gather the experience you need as a writer while working there to make it to your ideal position later.
Even positions that are not in your desired field can lead to a career that you may have never thought of. Paxman says, “especially people with particular, quite focused degree programs, they think of a very narrow universe of jobs that they think they would go into next. There are lots of great jobs that may lead to a long and rewarding career and it might not be in the initial industries that you would expect or maybe that you had thought about when you picked your particular major.”
That said, always remember to keep an open mind while searching for your first position.
3. Plan For the Long Haul
The article stresses how important it is for soon-to-be graduates to stay on track and stay persistent when looking for their first post-graduate job. It is important to note that rejection is almost inevitable. It is highly unlikely in this current job market that the first position you apply and interview for will be offered to you. If it is, that’s great. If it’s not, you shouldn’t get discouraged or give up.
“This is very much a two way process of the graduate determining if they’re a fit and vice versa, using each opportunity as a learning experience and not being dismayed through that rejection process because you may not have been a good fit anyway at that organization,” said Paxman. “It’s very easy to take these kinds of things personally, but keep at it.”
Hopefully, with these tips soon-to-be graduates can get a leg-up on their job hunt, stay confident and keep that confidence as they search for their first position post college.
SOURCE: Fox Business News
IMAGE: Mind Treasures
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