How to Find a Job After Graduation

Graduating college is an exhilarating time. You get to walk across a stage, with all your friends and family in the audience supporting you. What happens when the graduation parties stop and the moment turns into a memory? This means, it’s time to find a job. Entering the professional world can be terrifying, but not if you’re prepared. Here are some simple tips on how to prepare for your “adult” job, and how to fit into this new world of working.

Take Time Off

Enjoy yourself! You deserve to take a breather, and enjoy the festivities that come along with celebrating you. Maybe you want to travel before you enter the world of suits, and that’s okay! Take time off to truly discover what you want to do. Discover your passions that you forgot about, and remember what gives you motivation to succeed. Take a deep breath, and know that when the right job comes along, it will happen.

Sign Up for Job Website

You’ve realized that it’s time to really start looking for a full time job. The perfect way to get yourself out there, is to sign up for every job website you can: LinkedIn, ZipRecruiter, and Glassdoor. These websites can connect you to hundreds of job searches that are in your field, and in your zip code. You can personalize your account and your data so that you have the best opportunity at finding your dream job.

Be Realistic

Most people don’t receive their dream job right after college. Sometimes you might have to start out at the bottom, but that should be your motivation to work hard, so that you can make it to the top. Don’t undersell yourself, and know what you’re capable of! Don’t take a job because it’s the first one that’s offered to you, but take a job if you have the opportunity to grow in it.

Know Your Connections

In this day and age, it’s mostly about “who you know”. Consider what company you might want to work for, and then see if you have any connections. Those connections could be anything from your mom’s friend, to finding out you went to the same college as the CEO. Any tiny connection could make a big difference.

Career Fairs

Every college has a career fair for their recent graduates. Companies will come to your school, and this is the perfect opportunity to pass out your flawless resume. Research what companies will be at this job fair beforehand, and know the standards of all the companies that you are interested in. Being prepared and educated shows perseverance.

It’s About the Right Fit

Sometimes you walk out of an interview feeling as if you’re cloud nine. There is not doubt in your mind that you didn’t get the job, then you get the rejection email. Sometimes, it’s just not a good fit. This is an opportunity to learn from your interview skills, and can lead you to be better prepared for next time. Sometimes, you can do everything right, ask all the right questions, and the company still hires someone else. When this happens, keep your head up and know that the right job will come along.

Be Persistent

Being motivated and not giving up, even when being told “no” is the quality of a successful applicant. Make sure to go out of your way and follow up with people. Email the company after sending in your application, and tell them to contact you with any questions they may have. Be persistent in knowing what you want. Companies love applicants that go above and beyond to be noticed. Stay professional, and make a statement.