How to Find Your First Job After University or College

Landing that first job after university or college can be a daunting experience. Eager to find work, many graduates settle for jobs that don’t require a degree, which puts them in an adverse position and can be detrimental for their future careers.

However, you can take control of this process early on and give your career chances for a positive start by implementing the following strategies.

Start Well Ahead

To raise the odds of landing a job that suits your skills and knowledge soon after you’ve graduated, you should mobilize yourself during your senior year.

There are several things you can do during this phase of your life:

Create a LinkedIn profile. Having a profile on LinkedIn is a good way to network and form meaningful connections in your industry of choice. Include your education details, extra-curricular activities, accolades and awards, skills and any working experience you have. Join industry-specific groups to follow the latest trends, and engage in discussions.

Have a personal blog. Present yourself to your potential employers by writing about the topics you’re most interested in professionally and your personal interest as well. WordPress, Wix and Squarespace are quick and easy solutions to start building your own personal brand.

Find a mentor. Most of the students rely on their parents, relatives, friends or professors for mentorship, but unless they are in the career you want to pursue, look further. Use your own or your parents’ connections to reach someone working in a niche you’re interested in.

Get an internship early on. Finish as many internships as you can, and try to have at least one in a company with wide brand recognition, as it will look good in your resume. It will also help you brush up on your skills and make connections, and it might also lead to a job offer.

Be Active

As you’ve probably identified some of the companies you would like to start your career at, begin with browsing their websites for an employment section, and check whether they have any options for graduates or students.

Broaden your search to the industry-specific job boards to find any new job listings, and generate more job leads.

You can also check whether your college has alumni working in those companies, and connect with them in order to get advice on your approach. Such connections can be crucial for landing a job, so don’t be shy about reaching out.

Tailor Your Resume and Your Cover Letter

Once you start applying for the positions you’re interested in, make sure your resume is highly professional and up-to-date.

Both your resume and cover letter should be tailored to fit the description of every position you apply for and should reflect that you understand both what the company and the position are about.

Many employers nowadays use software that scans applications for keywords, and if your resume doesn’t contain them, you can end up disqualified even if you have all the skills required.

You will raise your odds significantly if you tweak each one of your applications to mirror the language used in the description of the job posting.

As your recruiters are going to check you out on social media too, make sure that by now you have established your professional online presence. If you think there is a chance your potential employers could find something embarrassing on your accounts, consider changing your settings to private.

Still, sending your resume and your cover letter is often not enough to get you a job interview, let alone a job offer.

Identify whether you can find any connections to people working at the company, no matter how distant, to raise your chances.

Prepare for the Interview

Once you’ve got your interview scheduled, do your best to prepare well.

You’ve done some research before applying, but now it’s time to dig deeper into it. Get as many details as you can on the company, its history, background, values, products and services.

Also, broaden your research to competitors, and understand the position the company holds at the market.

In addition to grasping the relevant information that you can use during the interview, consider the following:

Prepare responses to the most common interview questions. Have your answers ready on your skills, strengths and weaknesses, as well as about your motivation for working in the industry and the company. As your main goal is to shine, working with a career coach can help you determine what you should emphasize during the interview and effectively prepare for it.

Choose your outfit. For a great first impression make an effort to determine the dress code in the company and dress appropriately.

Watch your body language. Apart from your clothing, your body language plays a significant role too. Make sure you stand up straight, give firm handshakes and smile.

Check the location and directions beforehand. You don’t want to decrease your chances of success by being late for your job interview.

Show your interest. You’ll make a better first impression if you show interest in the company, so prepare your own questions beforehand too. Make your questions specific and don’t ask things you can find out on your own, browsing the net.

Don’t be disappointed if the interview doesn’t land you a job. Think of it as an experience you can learn from. It’s a good idea to get in touch with the interviewers and ask them about your performance so that you can get a clear idea about the areas you should polish.

It might take some time to find a perfect first job, so try to keep your positive state of mind and your energy up during the job hunt.

by Michael Deane

Michael has been working in marketing for almost a decade and has worked with a huge range of clients, which has made him knowledgeable on many different subjects. He has recently rediscovered a passion for writing and hopes to make it a daily habit. You can read more of Michael’s work at Qeedle.

Interview Preparation Resources

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