Arguably, your job search as a college grad should start long before you graduate, not after you’ve graduated. That being said, if you’ve not done any job search prep during your college years you can’t go back in time but there’s plenty you can do now. For those that are still in college, there are a few “to do’s” for you as well.
Current unemployment rates for college grads can run as high as 13% for some majors and as low as 5% for others (see Unemployment For Recent College Graduates By Major). Even on the high end, that still means that 87% of college grads have found a job. The question is, have they found a job in their industry/major? Possibly not. The best chance you have at landing a job in your industry once you’ve graduated it to plan and launch a job search campaign.
Create a Job Search Checklist – It’s much easier to know what to do once you’ve written it down. Why start from scratch when you can leverage one or more “ready for use” job search checklists?
The “Mojofied” new grad’s job search checklist
Job Search Checklist: The Job Search Process Start to Finish
Create or Update Your Resume: If you already have a resume, great, just update it. If you don’t have a resume yet, you will (obviously) need to create one. There are lots of styles and formats and much depends on any experience you already have (like internships). Experience is important, but your first resume should focus on your college career as well.
Writing a Resume Fresh Out of College
Entry Level Resume Examples
Where do You Want to Work? – You need to know where you want to work (country, city, state, etc.). You probably already have an idea where you want to work and it probably based on where you went to school, where you grew up or where a significant other might be located. So you will need to research a few things. If you already know where you want to work, do some research on the companies that are located there and start to get some data on job locations, salaries, etc. If, on the other hand, you do not know where you would like to work, do some research on the best cities to work in for your industry / job function.
The 10 Best Cities to Find a Job
How Do I Find Jobs in My Area?
Who do You Want to Work For? – It helps to know which companies you want to work for. Depending on your profession, this may be someone easy (such as public accounting). Or, you may have a few “favorites” based on information from friends or relatives. Whether or not you have picked your companies, you will need to research to answer questions like: “Are these good companies?”, “Do they pay competitively?”, “Are they profitable or in danger of going bankrupt?”, “Do they have jobs in my industry/functional role?”.
Company Research – Researching Employers – How to Conduct Company Research
How To Find Target Companies For Your Job Search
Social Networks – Now’s the time to leverage all of those social network skills you have to help you find a job. Who do you know that is working for a company where you want to work? How do you get the word out that you are looking for a job? Where can recruiters and hiring managers find you? These are all important questions and the answer is – your social networks. Sounds easy on the surface (and it really is), you just need to spend a little time “working” your networks.
How Social Media Could Land You Your Next Job
How to Effectively Leverage Your Alumni Networks
Interviews – It’s never too soon to prepare for interviews and the questions you are likely to get asked will be somewhat different from the questions asked experienced hires. Equally as important is having a good list of questions that you should ask. Lack of questions is generally interpreted as lack of interest (or failure to research the company). But interview questions are not the only thing you should research. You should research the company as well and be prepared to answer questions like – “Why do you want to work at xyz company?”. Once you’ve secured an interview, you should also do some research on the interviewers (LinkedIn is a great source).
College Job Interview Questions and Answers
Interview Questions to Ask the Employer
Elevator Speech -Elevator speeches are important (see Elevator Speech). You never know who you may run into (and it doesn’t have to be in an elevator). Separate and apart from having an elevator speech (just in case), the exercise helps you refine your thought process in terms of what you want to do. This can help you as a lead-in during an interview process as well.
How to Craft a Killer 60 Second Elevator Pitch That Will Land You Big Business
What’s Your Elevator Pitch?
College Career Office – College grads tend to underestimate the importance and value of college career offices. Besides the fact that they are staffed with individuals who have experience in helping college grads find their first job, many employers will leverage college career offices as a lead to grads looking for jobs. While every college is different, the vast majority have a college career office in some form or fashion.
From Student to Employee: The Vital Role of Career Services
How College Career Services Can Hook You Up: Spotlight on University of Richmond
Internships – While taking an internship after graduation should generally be a “last choice”, internships are not only for college students and they can provide important hands-on experience that will help you land your “paying” job. There are many choices and opportunities and an Internship should certainly be a consideration if you have no luck in finding a job.
Should you take an internship after you graduate?
Jobs Few, Grads Flock to Unpaid Internships
Working in Other Fields – Sometimes you need to take a detour from your original route. Roadblocks and missing roads may keep you from your selected career, but think of it as a short term change of plans. Eventually you will get back on track.
Where the Jobs Are, and the College Grads Aren’t
New Grads: How To Get A Job Outside Your Major
Good luck in your search.
Joey Trebif
Job Search
job title, keywords, company, location
jobs by 
// ]]>
Related posts:
5 Job Search Tips for College Grads and Entry Level Job Seekers
Tips for Landing Your First Job as a College Grad
Tips for Landing Your First Job as a College Grad