Graduation is just around the corner! You have worked hard to earn your degree, yet you are probably feeling several different emotions: excitement, relief, passion, and maybe a touch of anxiety about finding your first “real job”! All of these feelings are completely normal. As you prepare to graduate and enter the workforce, here are five tips important to your success.
1. Start your job search early!
When it comes to searching for a job, you can never be too prepared or start too early! At least six months prior to graduation, begin devoting 20 minutes three times a week to looking at online job banks and company websites. While you won’t want to begin applying for jobs until a few months prior to graduation, the early research will help you be more informed. You will have a better understanding of what skills employers are seeking, what geographic areas have the most opportunities, and better prepared to negotiate compensation packages because you will have knowledge about the job market and wages.
2. Get organised!
When you start your research in step one, it is important to get organised. I suggest making a folder in your web browser to bookmark “Career” pages of companies you are interested in working for. This will help you efficiently keep up-to-date with new postings and opportunities that align with your professional ambitions. Once you begin applying for jobs, start a spreadsheet that has the date you applied, the hiring manager’s name and contact information, and notes that will be helpful for you to remember. Finally, make sure you print and keep the position description of each posting you apply to! This is a step many students skip. Having this information is crucial as you prepare for a job interview. Being able to review the desired qualifications will help you best prepare tailored responses to questions during the interview process.
3. Network, network, network!
Again, you can never start too early! Being part of the Women in Work organisation is a great start! Seek additional opportunities to interact with people who are currently working in the industry you wish to pursue. There are many networking opportunities open to students at little to no cost. LinkedIn Local, professional organisations and student organisations as well an EventBrite Networking and Chamber of Commerce events are excellent places for students to get involved and practice their communication and networking skills! It can be uncomfortable at first; however, the more you do it, the more natural it will become. Feeling uncertain? Take a friend! It is helpful to have a friendly face in the room and will put you more at ease.
4. Follow up!
Students miss so many opportunities from failing to follow up with professionals and organisations. Did you submit a job application or CV? Follow up. (This is where being organised and having a spreadsheet is so helpful!) Did you have a great conversation with someone at a networking event? Follow up. Did one of your contacts mention a job or opportunity in passing? Follow up. Were you offered a tour at a company or the opportunity to have coffee with someone? Please, please, please, follow up. One of the most repeated comments I hear employers make is, “I had a great conversation with [insert student name] and gave her my business card, but I never heard from her.” When someone extends you an invite to connect, they are serious. Make sure you follow up with them! Even if it is a two-line email thanking someone for a great conversation, that follow up communication will help you stand out in the minds of others.
5. Don’t over-process situations or allow yourself to become frustrated!
You are going to run into dead ends when you start your career. It could happen during your job search, you might get “ghosted” after an interview 1 and at some point, in your career, a project you are really passionate about will probably get rejected. The way you respond to these situations is what is important and only you can make that decision. You have the option to over-process the situation, think about all of the ways it went wrong, and view it as a failure OR you can remind yourself that people are busy and forget, not every opportunity is the right one for you, and that each situation that does not work in your favour is still a learning opportunity. From the very beginning, choose a growth mindset. Be flexible, be teachable, and be positive.
As you enter this next phase of your life, keep your desire to learn and grow. The most successful people never stop seeking opportunities to learn!
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