7 Things to Do to Land a Job After Graduating College

As the graduation season is approaching, the air on college campuses is soaked with job search anxiety. I am among the people who hear that ticktock in their head 24/7 as I am also graduating in May and I have a very vague idea of what to do next. Even though entering a job market for the first time is a nerve wracking and often unpredictable process, there are a few things you can do to increase your chances of being successfully hired. I did some research and came up with the following list — for myself and for you:

A person working on a laptop. Photo by Christin Hume on Unsplash

1. Start now! This is the most important, yet the most challenging advice to follow. As a college senior, you have a million things to do — write that senior thesis, complete all the projects in your 400-level courses, AND find a job on top of that. I feel you, as I am a senior too. You lack time, so you get anxious and start putting things off, which leads to lacking time again. Vicious circle. Break it with just 15 minutes a day dedicated to job search. You may get lucky.
2. Formulate your goal! Job market has a wide array of options, and it can feel overwhelming to look through all these vacancies. A job search expert and a founder of her own job search course Dana Manciagli suggests narrowing your search down to just one or two jobs that you are interested in. This will make your search more focused saving you time and energy.
3. Be proactive! Applying for just a few jobs and surrendering once you do not get a reply is a bad strategy. According to Monster, a popular job searching website, the best time to apply for a job is within 48 hours after it has been posted. Get into routine of searching and applying for new jobs every day.
4. Do your research! You will be in a winning position if you know what the companies you are interested in are looking for. “Find ten job descriptions and highlight all of the key words and phrases that are most commonly repeated,” says Manciagli. This way you will know what skills to mention in your resume and during job interviews.
5. Network! According to Forbes contributor and personal branding specialist Dan Schawbel, this includes creating a LinkedIn profile and making as many connections as possible, as well as taking advantage of your college alumni network, finding a mentor in the industry of your interest, etc. The best opportunities will find you through personal connections.
6. Do an internship! Almost every career advising article suggests that. An internship is a great way to get work experience that all the employers are looking for. If you are lucky and present yourself well, it may even lead directly to getting a full-time job at the company.
7. Prepare well! None of the above will work unless you prepare your answers to possible interview questions, polish your resume, and proofread all your correspondence. These details speak of you as of an organized and serious person, therefore, a great job candidate.

Good luck.

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Polina Isakova is a graduating senior at the American University in Bulgaria. The article was written for Advanced Writing for Media class inspired by the upcoming work decisions.