You’re About to Graduate; Now What? Tips on Preparing for Your Job Search

If you’re one of the many seniors coming to the end of your time in college, you might be a little unsure about what’s next. The “real world” is fast approaching while you’re still trying to soak in your last college days.

Make the most of these final moments, but realize that an exciting transition is coming and you’ve got to be prepared.

Here are some tips from Mario Schulzke, creator of CareerSparx, to help you prepare for the job search after college. Regardless of your major or future career plans, this should help put you on the right track.

Photo credit: Nazareth College via flickr creative commons

Use the Campus Career Center — While You Still Can.

If you haven’t looked into the career services that your school provides by now, you should get on it. Many schools and online colleges offer resume coaching and provide job listings for students, but this service only lasts for a set amount of time after you graduate. Make the most of what is available while you can.

You can also use the career center to contact alumni that work in the industry you’re interested in entering; they may be able to provide advice or point you to job openings that you wouldn’t have found otherwise.

Reach Out to Your Classmates and Teachers for Job Leads.

Use your last days around campus to talk to students and professors who may be able to guide you to potential job openings. Depending on your major, your professors may be working in the field or have done so at some point in their career, making them a valuable source of advice. Speak with them one-on-one or send a thoughtful email asking for help. More often than not, they will be able to help you or direct you to someone who can.

As for your classmates, they were or are in the same boat as you. Your classmates may be able to point you to job opportunities that they passed up or were unable to follow through with because they found other jobs, and you can do the same.

Gather Your Network.

Begin reaching out to friends, family, past coworkers, and anyone you know who could provide you with a potential job lead. Ask if they know anyone in the industry you’re interested in and if it would be okay for you to contact that person, mentioning the common connection.

Not only should you be thinking about what your network can do for you, but also what you can do for your network. People will be more inclined to help you if you help them. Keep an eye out for opportunities to pass along or connections you can make, because you never know when it will come back to help you in the future.

Update Your Resume and Create Your Cover Letters.

As you begin to apply for jobs, you will need an accurate, up-to-date resume as well as a customized cover letter for each job you apply for.

Spend a significant amount of time preparing these documents because they are often the first impression that you will make on a potential employer.

Point out your accomplishments rather than responsibilities and use your cover letter to tell each company why you are especially interested in them.

Clean Up Your Facebook and Get LinkedIn.

Whether you like it or not, employers are using Facebook to check on potential hires. According to a study for CareerBuilder.com, 45 percent of employers are using social networks to perform background research on potential hires.

You need to make sure that your Facebook doesn’t contain any inappropriate photos or anything that would cause a potential employer to look negatively upon you during the job search process.

If you haven’t done so already, you should create a profile on LinkedIn, a networking site that allows you to connect with your colleagues on a professional or work-related level.

Build your profile with extra care because this serves as an electronic resume that can be seen by friends and future employers alike.

Begin connecting to members in your network and use the services that LinkedIn provides to get in touch with people in your industry.

Schedule Informational Interviews.

This is a great way to begin forming connections in your industry or within the company you hope to work for. An informational interview is an opportunity for you to ask someone about his or her business or job in an informal setting.

This helps you learn more about what you want to do and where you may fit within a company. By taking the time to do some background research and prepare smart questions, you may even impress the person enough to recommend you or even offer you a full-time job.

Consider an Internship.

If you don’t have much work experience in the industry you want to be in, it can be difficult to take your job search process to the next level.

Internships allow you to get the experience you need without making a full-time commitment. Plus, it’s not uncommon for impressive interns to receive full-time offers at the end of or soon after their internships, so take the opportunity to learn while increasing your skills and experience.

Read the News on a Regular Basis.

Nothing helps your conversational skills like something to talk about. If you feel uncomfortable speaking with people in a professional setting, bringing up a current event is one way to begin a conversation. By following the news, you will begin to formulate opinions on popular topics and impress people with your knowledge of the world.

Better yet, follow the news related to your industry or future profession. This is easily accomplished with the Internet and will go a long way during your job search process. The more you learn, the more comfortable you’ll feel.

Create a Schedule and Stick to It.

Finding the right job to start your career is a full-time operation in itself. Set a schedule for applying to jobs and talking to people in your industry. Getting into a weekly routine will provide more structure to your job search.