As I, and many of my friends, are approaching the end of our senior year of college, there’s one thing on all of our minds: “What’s next?” While many of us are continuing our journeys in school, others are dusting off old resumes and business casual wear to start interviewing for the job market.
This doesn’t exclusively apply to seniors. I know plenty of people of all ages and grade levels who are struggling or stuck in a rut with the hiring process. Throughout the last five to six years of my life, I’ve assembled a few tips and tricks that have helped me, as well as several of my friends, get the job.
making connections
The biggest piece of advice I’ve ever received is to network and establish strong connections. Connections within your field will get you everywhere. For those of us who don’t have family or friend connections, there are many ways to establish those relationships within your school. For example, by joining Greek life foundations, you can find other sisters or brothers with the same major that can guide you.
Many Greek life alumni are known to reference the people within their Greek life foundation to their past jobs. There are also several service fraternities whose sole purpose is to get you in contact with people of the same major with similar career goals.
After a few meetings and interviews, once in, you automatically have a good group of like-minded people who can not only be your friends along the journey but guide you, provide research and job opportunities for you, and challenge you.
taking advantage of opportunities
Other opportunities within University campuses outside of Greek or service fraternities are through clubs and organizations. Most, if not all, colleges have a search engine with hundreds of clubs and organizations of varied interests and careers.
There are a multitude of opportunities within these groups, whether it be volunteering in your field, listening to speakers in your field, or just getting to meet people that are already working the job you have and get advice directly from them. This can range from interview tips or how to best dress.
Presenting your best self
Although developing connections is helpful, what happens to those of us who start looking later in our college journey? Or those going straight into the job market blind with no extra help? In that case, it’s all about how you present yourself: your resume.
Assuming you don’t have much job experience, the biggest thing to focus on within your resume is the experience you do have. Whether that’s a part-time job, volunteering, shadowing, etc., write genuine statements of what you’ve learned.
Another big asset to highlight is your skill set. Everyone can state they’re determined or reliable, but until your actions can validate your words, you have to convince your potential employers why you’re different and why your experience proves you have those qualities.
Lastly, many jobs require personal statements, so put time into why you want this position, how you’ll benefit the company, and how they’ll benefit you.
Finding your dream job
While enhancing your written resume is essential, it can only take you so far. After establishing connections, buffing up your resume, and getting your interview attire, it’s time to actually find jobs!
I’ve probably applied to a million and one different places online within apps like Indeed or Zip Recruiter, but nine times out of ten, I hear crickets. So, instead, I use these apps to see what places are hiring, still apply, but then make sure to contact them directly.
I’ll usually call first and give them my name and number, inquire about the position, and see about potential interview times. If I don’t hear anything back, I go in person to see if I can speak with a manager. Although this may seem like it’s doing too much, filling out an application and following up by inquiring about the job shows you’re determined and will make you stand out over other applicants.
If given the opportunity to meet with a manager or go through an interview for that position, being well-dressed and well-rehearsed on the company mantra and policies will surely get you noticed; if not, then in the future.
Overall, no matter what tactic or what tips you take from this article, your own skills and determination will take you all the way!
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