The first thing to remember is that a year goes by fast. What goes by even faster is senior year in college. So now is the perfect time to start thinking about preparing for life after graduation!
It is a scary thought to be so close to entering to what we have been told is the ‘real world’. So while you balance school and part time jobs it’s also crucial to start lining things up for after school ends. Jennifer Landon, career consultant at UNH Manchester, shared these five tips to help you prepare for the post-grad job search:
Tip #1: Have a plan
The first thing to consider is what field you want to work in. It is important that you start seriously researching potential jobs you might want and even backup options. You need to ask yourself questions about the work environment you want, large or small company, office or more hands on work, travel or set location, flexible hours or nine to five?
Tip #2: Do your homework
Another tip is to start looking at job postings around the Internet or through Wildcat Career postings. You can search specific job titles or companies and even by location. This is a great chance to start getting more information on what exactly is required for the jobs you want.
Remember that even if you may not qualify for a specific job you want you should make note of the skills or qualifications in order to get an idea of new things you can learn to help you in the future. Landon recommends researching job postings/ descriptions to get a handle on the language. You can then incorporate that language into your own resume by using keywords and phrases that will get you noticed.
Tip #3: Build your network
Letting others know you are looking for jobs in a certain field is a great way for you to get your name out there. Networking may not always be the easiest thing to do but in the long run it can be very beneficial. That small connection you kept with a former employer or neighbor could lead to a job recommendation down the road.
Networking is perhaps the most important thing for students of any level to work on. Landon explains, “Not all available jobs are posted online. The best way to get your resume or application to managers is through networking”.
Tip #4: Get organized
Another important step is to stay organized and make sure to have all your materials ready and updated. That includes your resume, cover letters, writing samples, and your ‘elevator pitch’.
Taking time to get these things in order will elevate a lot of stress when you actually apply. Landon says that keeping a ‘brain dump’ document where you keep a running list of all your experiences can help you craft various resumes for different job applications.
Part of getting organized is going through your social media and cleaning things up a bit for when prospective employers check them out. You may not want to have that spring break profile picture for future companies to associate with your application. It also wouldn’t hurt to get some more professional clothes for interviews.
Tip #5: Make use of your college resources (which are free!)
Finally, and perhaps the most important thing -- use the resources at your own college! Email the Internship & Career Planning office and schedule a meeting to talk about your career search and find out how they can help.
Check out the career resources on the school website or stop in to see a career counselors who can help you with your job search.
On October 28 UNH Durham will be hosting a job fair. In preparation for that event UNH Manchester will be having Resume Review Days with potential employers from the area. Be sure to take advantage of this great (and free!) resource for students.
Keep a steady pace with applying but also take breaks from the search because it can be overwhelming at times. Starting early with the job search means you can have time to prepare for life after graduation and not have that end of year job panic stress!
Visit the Internship & Career Planning office webpage for more great career resources.
