The race for the first job after graduation is always challenging. What worked for your parents and grandparents in the past is not something you need to rely on today. Then what if you are not ready for post-graduate life? What if you fail to find the company that needs you and what if you find the job that doesn’t give you expected career growth and development? We have the answers to all these questions. Just keep reading.
Changing jobs has become a present-day reality. As a rule, the first job chosen by graduates becomes a proof that they need to move in a different direction. Without trying they would have to keep living with the thought that they always dreamt of a certain job but never had a chance to get it. As a rule, such dream jobs usually turn out to be a disappointment. Treat your first job as an opportunity to get some experience and build your career profile. Decide what you wish to do the next 12 months and keep pushing in that direction. I know a few industry professionals who have changed nearly 5 jobs since graduation (that’s nearly 7-8 years). Only thanks to their brave decisions, they tested various company strategies, tried different working environments and enhanced their skills levels significantly. They say they wouldn’t have achieved all this if they had been confined to only one workplace. Building your career is a never-ending process. Just don’t be afraid to make mistakes and hasty decisions.
Don’t take too much time deciding on your career path in life. But anyway, do some research into the job market. Don’t choose a profession only based on your current skills that your study has given to you. Instead, choose those where your skills are only the basics. Even though a lot of job requirements will seem too intimidating for you, don’t panic. Do at least basic research about all of them and you will see that they are not so scary anymore. Explain to your interviewers that your current expertise covers only basic knowledge of the necessary technologies, strategies, skills, but according to your estimates you are going to master them in a certain period of time. Of course you can’t know the exact timeframes for sure, but at least you will show that you have a plan, instead of showing how desperate and helpless you are in your job hunting efforts.
Showcasing skills and talents in a one-page document often looks too challenging for graduates, no matter how well-written and structured their diploma papers were. Usually, they simply don’t know what to write there except for their education info. Resume is the first piece of information (or the only, if you are unlucky) your potential employer sees about you. You need to show that you are already working on mastering the skills required from you and that you are not a scared and shy graduate begging for a job. Show them your clear vision of the value you are going to bring into their company. Don’t just send your resume to HRs, but add a bright cover letter to it where you indicate the reasons you want to work with them. Companies adore open-minded individuals and they get really surprised when they see such individuals inside inexperienced graduates.
You might need to work at really low costs when you just start your career. Treat it as a few additional months of education, yet with a salary. In fact, small and mid-sized companies are more likely to invest in bright but inexperienced graduates and teach them. They understand that graduates are quite diligent, hard-working and have appetite for new knowledge. It’s much better for you to get even not a highly-paid job where you can learn a lot of useful things instead of hanging around and waiting for your dream job to come.
Register to LinkedIn and join job search communities in Facebook or other social media networks. Statistics shows that nearly 40% of employers look for suitable candidates in social media. Make sure your social information is employer-friendly. Choose the industries that appeal to you the most and join local (or international if you are looking for a remote job) online groups or events.
For better results, try to target either small and mid-sized businesses. Visit their websites and collect their contact information. What is important here is not to target only those who have open job openings that fit you. If you reach out to them unexpectedly, you have a chance to show who you are without comparison to dozens of other candidates. Get their email addresses and spread the information about you to as many companies as possible.
Use creativity, be unexpected and never give up in your job hunting efforts. Don’t look like the majority of other graduates who think they’ve done everything they could but found nothing. Be special – and the employers will definitely want you on their side.