Graduating from college is an exciting time for students. The culmination of all that hard work and determination has finally brought them to the end. It is a glorious moment, but one that can also come with dread, especially for students who have yet to find a job. All of their friends seem to have everything figured out, while they are still left wondering what their next step should be. Though they may feel alone, in reality, many students face this issue year after year. While the clock may be ticking, here are some tips that recent graduates can use to get their foot in the door.
Sharpen Up That Resume
Nothing turns off a possible employer more than a poorly formatted resume. All the honors and awards in the world will not mean a thing if a recruiter cannot make sense of what a possible employee is trying to say. Also, when submitting a resume, students should stay away from anything that seems too generic. Resumes that simply list courses and summer jobs will not do. Instead, job seekers should customize their resumes to reflect the direction they want their lives to take. If they are not sure where to start, students should take advantage of their college’s Career Center or Student Affairs office, which is a valuable resource when it comes to reviewing resumes.
Network, Network, Network
Though the internet is a great source of information, it can only get a student so far. Recent graduates have to remember that there could be hundreds of people submitting their resumes for the same jobs, which makes it very difficult to stand out. Networking allows companies to put a face to the name, and lets them see the person beyond the paper. Also, students should reach out to as many people as possible. After listing all the people they know, the student will start to see just how big of a network they actually have. They should also contact their school’s Career Services office for any networking opportunities, such as job fairs or meet-and-greets. Even online students might bring opportunities to them through the use of higher ed technology.
Striving for Perfection
Most students want that perfect job after graduation and while, yes, it is important to be happy in one’s career, “perfect” is unlikely to come early on. That does not mean job seekers should take the first thing that comes their way; on the contrary, it means that a future job candidate should not be afraid to try something new or outside of their comfort zone. It could very well be worth it.
In the end, recent and future graduates should just remember to relax. Things will fall into place, and nobody expects them to have their futures all figured out. The future is open to
many possibilities, and changes will happen. Everyone just needs to follow these tips and enjoy the ride.
