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How to Jumpstart Your Post-Grad Job Search

Published: Jul 29, 2014

 Interviewing       Job Search       Networking       Resumes & Cover Letters       
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Congratulations on your recent graduation! It's now time to make the transition from student to employee. All of that studying will now be put into practice. It can be strange to spend two to four years studying what you want to do for your career and now have to use that degree to finally get to work in your chosen field. Celebrate your graduation and get started right away on your job search. Here's a little help on jumpstarting your post grad job search.

Visit Your College's Career Center

 

This is the place to begin your journey. Your campus' career center has a lot of resources to help you get the job you want. Check out what is available for help and how you can use it to your advantage. Ask your career counselors anything you need to in order to jumpstart your job search.

Keep Your Connections

 

If you haven't created a LinkedIn profile, do so now. LinkedIn will help you stay in touch with people who can help you in your job search, with your job applications, your job interviews, and possibly help you get the job you want. It's free and easy. Use it to connect with alumni and employers, and to contact recruiters and hiring managers--almost all of them use LinkedIn to find qualified, new employees.

Job Hunting Myths

 

Watch out for the myths, and don't make these job hunting mistakes. Avoid waiting for jobs to come to you. You must be proactive and search for the job position you want--which means filling out applications, and going to interviews. Study everything from writing a killer resume to acing your job interview so you can land the job you are after. And don't keep your job hunt a secret: let everyone you know, online and off, that you are searching for a job in your field--referrals are gold in the job hunt, and you never know where one might come from. 

Customize Everything

 

Keep a standard cover letter and resume in your career search folder. You should have digital and hard copies of these along with your degree. When you find a job you want to apply for open these up. Customize your cover letter and resume for that job position. Find keywords in the job description you can add to your cover letter and resume such as team player, positive attitude, master's degree in science, etc. Use these keywords. Be honest though! Don't use a keyword if it doesn't apply to you.

Study How to Job Hunt

 

You thought you were done with studying when you graduated? Nope! Take the time to learn the best ways to fill out an application, write an irresistible resume or attention-grabbing cover letter, how to handle interview questions, and what to do after an interview. It might seem like small stuff, but it can make the difference between getting and offer or spending yet more time searching for a position.

Use some of your organization skills in your search as well--keep all of your job hunting papers in a folder. When you apply for a new position, print out the job description and make sure you have the contact person and phone number. If you don't hear back from them in a week call follow up with a phone call; sometimes  email applications get lost or forgotten--that phonecall could make the difference.

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