So, you just graduated from college. The world was supposed to be a promising place full of opportunity and your bachelor’s degree was supposed to be the key that unlocked that door. So far, however, that key is feeling like a pretty expensive hunk of uselessness. I’m guessing you didn’t major in computer science. Well, neither did I… But I did get a job in my field that pays the bills! And you can too! You already know how to make your resume and cover letter stand out and how to interview. So what are you missing? Here are three tricks I wish I would have known earlier in the job hunt:
1) It’s not what you know, it’s who you know (and also some people you don’t actually know): Networking is icky. So is the fact that some people are born with an endless supply of professional connections and some people are not. Bleh. But like it or not, personal connections are becoming even more important in a world where job applications involve little more than entering your resume into an online system aka just throwing it into the void and hoping for the best.
So you need to get your resume into the hands of a person. To do this, it helps to know someone working at the place you applied. But if you, like me, were not born with fancypants connections, it might be helpful to know that you don’t actually have to know the person to get a leg up in the application process. Do some digging- does anyone in your alumni network work there? (Your school/organization definitely has a database, and alumni are usually very helpful.) Even strangers can be really helpful. A series of informational interviews led me from friends working in fields outside of what I wanted to do to the desks of perfect strangers with my dream job. And those perfect strangers took my contact information and resume. If you are applying at the company where one of your new connections works, be sure to let them know. They will often pass on your resume to HR. If they do, you know at least one copy made it to a human. You have successfully avoided the void!
2) Be a creepy stalker: No. Do not actually be a creepy stalker. But if you’ve gotten past the resume void stage and gotten an interview (hooray!), DO get to know as much as you possibly can about the company/organization for which you are interviewing- check their website for sure, and not just the front page. Think about the organizational goals, the position description, and where you would fit. That done, take some time to look into the people who will be interviewing you.
Where did they go to school, what did they study, where have they worked previously? What, exactly, is their job now? (Linkedin is a miracle for this.) Knowing this will help you know what they might be looking for in the interview so when you get there you can frame your experiences to make sense from their point of view. Use the ideas they are passionate about to talk about yourself in the position- wherever you can, find common ground. It is great to be personal and comfortable in an interview and feeling a little like you already know the interviewer can help. Plus, even if you don’t get the job, this searching can help you learn what path others followed in case you would like to do the same.
3) Follow ups are fabulous! If you just did an interview and it went great, be excited, but you aren’t done yet. Within 24 hours you will want to follow up and thank the interviewer(s) (individually, if there was more than one). Thank them for their time AND use your message to reiterate why you would be a great fit for the position. Mention specifics. You can even use this time to clarify things you weren’t sure you emphasized enough in the interview. Do this via email and if the hiring process is going to take long enough for them to receive a note, do it via snail mail as well. I always knew that thank yous were important, but the timeline really matters here- getting in the follow up SOON is the part I missed, and it really helped me get good responses when I started doing it.
If you haven’t gotten an interview yet, you can also follow up on your resume and cover letter, provided you have some form of contact information for the hiring committee. Send a follow up email reiterating interest or call and inquire about the position. Following up doesn’t make you annoying (if you do it once). It always helps to show your interest.
I learned this one firsthand in the awkwardest way possible when I discovered I had sent out a BUNCH of resumes with the wrong graduation year on them (indicating I was graduating NEXT year and therefore did not have the degree qualifications they were looking for). This was a slip of the keys as I was editing an entirely different section, so friendly reminder to proofread and have others double check. I spent a day frantically emailing lots of places with the corrected resume and being terribly embarrassed. The silver lining, other than that you guys can feel so much better about all your minor blunders in the application process because you won’t do anything THIS bad, was that I did get an interview out of the whole fiasco. I used the time to follow up and let everyone know how much I was still interested in THEIR position. Someone emailed me back really quickly after hearing this. It never hurts to follow up!
Even when you are discouraged- and believe me, I have been there- remember that you are an awesome human with great qualifications. You are worth so much more than your hiring potential- and also you are totally going to get a job. Be patient, keep working at it, and check back for more things I’m learning along the way!
What are your best tips for new grads on the job hunt?
youngadulting 