Are you nearing the end of your post-secondary education and not sure what to do or how to prepare? Life after college can be intimidating and overwhelming. Once you have your diploma in hand it is all up to you to find a job in your field of study. In order to find success in your job hunt you need to be prepared, have a plan and be motivated. Following are a few things you may want to consider as you begin the hunt for your first career job.
Be confident in your job search:
- Know your interests, skills and preferences
- Take advantage of the campus career centre, faculty contact, internship contacts, networking and career fairs
- Start early, don’t think that you will be able to find your dream job in two weeks
- Network and find out how others in your field have been successful
Create a solid resume:
- Be accurate and honest
- Carefully proofread to avoid any mistakes
- Be consistent with your format and style
- Strive for a positive impression- be aware of eye appeal and readability
- Update your resume every six months and make sure that it is focused on your goals
Ensure you have the best references:
- Get in touch with as many people you can that would be willing to boast about your many skills
- Quality over quantity- it is nice to have quite a few references but make sure they know you and your work well
- Ask everyone that you work with or for to be a reference or even to write a reference letter for you. Ask, ask, ask- your intern adviser, the manager at your part-time job, and don’t forget your instructors
Prepare yourself for interviews:
- Research the company and the position you are interviewing for
- Be prepared to communicate your experience, skills, goals, and values as it is related to the company.
- Practice answering interview questions
- Prepare questions about the position or company
- Dress as if you already have the job
- Be on time! Better yet be 15 minutes early
- Maintain a positive attitude
Utilize social media:
- If used correctly, social media can be a great asset in communicating with possible employers and selling yourself
- More and more, employers are using the internet to find out more about candidates
- Clean up your social medias, although it may be fun to have pictures of the party you had last week but employers may be less than amused with your oh-so-classy party pictures
- Discover LinkedIn- a social media that allows you to feature your accomplishments, internships and job experience.
- Keep the profiles you want your employer to see public. This way you are Google-searchable.
- Visit these sites daily
Use your college connections:
- Get in touch with the career development centre
- Talk with your alumni centre and ask for a list of graduates in your field
- Discuss your future and post school plans with a career advisor
Lethbridge College offers career advising to all current and perspective students and also provides it’s learning community with The Works- a job and career reference.
