How to nail your first job after graduation

Completed your degree recently and looking forward to building your career? Finding that job after college would always be a daunting task for many fresh graduates and seniors. Just because you are a graduate, it doesn’t mean that your job is at the fingertips. It requires more enthusiasm to nail that job you are dreaming of. However, it is not rocket science - By setting up a few strategies, you may give a positive start to that job hunting process.  

Here’s how you can work on it.

Talk to the career centre

Begin by checking available resources as a pupil or new graduate from the college. Many colleges have a career centre to advice their students on career prospects. Visit the career office of the college you attended and schedule an appointment with a career consultant to discuss the job openings and the available programs. 

If you are unsure about which path to choose, there is nothing to worry about - A career counsellor could assist in identifying your goals while helping to improve your resume and cover letter, prepare for interviews and create job hunting plans as per your concern.

Additionally, colleges also host career fairs, recruiting events and alumni networking programs to support you reach out to potential jobs.  

Build your network

Indeed, networking is an effective way of finding jobs. Although it may feel confusing to you as a recent graduate this way works best for landing a job. Linkedin is a similar platform, offering extensive networking facility between job hunters and recruiters. To begin with, post the complete resume on your profile section to gather opinion and advice by reaching out to connections. This way could assist improve your resume, obtain feedback from connections and learn more about what the recruiters expect from a candidate like you.

Let your contacts know that you are fresher hunting for a job to suit your set of skills. These discussions will give your connections a positive thought about your interpersonal skills and could inspire them to share opportunities or introduce you to other contacts. Possibly you may be reaching to the right contact waiting to recruit you.

Create your resume and cover letter

Think of something which makes you stand out from other candidates and highlight that as the key strength of your resume. Develop a catchy resume by including your skills, experience, projects, and researches which are most associated with your evolving career goals. Add some of your social work to make it extra special – It could be used to explain as to how socially responsible you are.

The first impression is the best impression – let the cover letter speak about you.  Make it interesting to read, avoid using standard writing formats and describe how each job suits your skills and experiences. Stick to the topic and don’t fill up with unnecessary explanations which will lead your resume into the trash. Always, get feedback and ideas from advisors before submitting. Every single input from advisors can improve your document. Always proofread your documents to safeguard from grammatical errors and spelling mistakes.

Find your employers of interest

Find other companies you would prefer working for. Make sure to look for companies which are not associated with your college’s career centre, so that you have extended options to consider. Browse the “career” section of each company’s website to find a job of your interest.

The job search option in Linkedin is another option for filtering jobs by skills, location, experience level and industry. By keeping your profile’s career interest section “on”, let recruiters know that you are available to work. In case, someone looking candidates for current job openings could land on your profile page.

Additionally, use job sites to identify niche related job searches and subscribe with them to get notified on their job listings. Many graduate recruitment sites are designed to connect companies and candidates through a streamlined system – Some of them showcase employer profiles while some highlight candidate profiles for giving a better understanding about the recruiters and candidates in advance. You can also make use of job search mobile apps, which are entirely designed for graduates eagerly looking for new job opportunities.

Send over your application

Once you have sort the necessary steps, now it’s time to send your applications to companies. Keep a record of the companies you have contacted such as’ company name, email address and the post applied for. Now that it is your priority, reserve 15 to 20 hours per week for sending over and checking the status of your application.

Join as an intern

Working as an intern will give you more exposure to different job categories and gain new experience. It is relatively difficult to find paid job openings as fresh graduates without any previous experience. There are many companies offering internship programs for new graduates from colleges. Try your luck by enrolling one of them to prove your skills and gain experience. However, keep in mind, that most of the internship doesn’t guarantee payments, but the only experience. If payment is a problem, you may work as a part-time intern while working for an elementary level paying job.