5 Tips for a Successful Post-Graduation Job Search: How to Land Your Dream Job (or at least a starting point)

There are always thousands of job listings online, so why does it take submitting hundreds of job applications, continuous resume updating, and months of networking to figure out the next chapter in life? I’ve applied to and held almost 10 jobs since high school, but there’s nothing quite like the search for a full-time position after college.

No matter how overwhelmed (or excited) you are about the possibilities for work after graduation just remember: everything will work out. And if you put the time and effort in to prepare for your job search, you’ll have plenty of time to find a job (that you enjoy) and plan for the big transition.

Build your resume & your “identity capital”

The first step to landing the perfect job is to start building experiences that will catch a hiring manager’s eyes and make them want to learn more about you and your skill set. In college, there were plenty of resources for me to use to help figure out the most effective ways to word my bullet points and choose the exact experiences to list, but here, I’m specifically focusing on the physical experiences and not how they appear on paper.

Start by listing any experience that you feel potentially makes you an effective employee for your desired role. This can include projects in class, volunteering, or jobs and internships. Personally, because I interned in a role similar to what I wanted to do full-time, I included that experience, but I also included the research I did on campus even though it was not necessarily related. The goal is to pinpoint experiences that will show hiring managers that you:

• have the skillset for the role (education or experience)
• work well in teams
• are teachable
• handle conflict with grace
• able to take and apply constructive criticism

It’s also important to include experiences that you will easily be able to expand upon in an interview and that have a compelling story or “ah ha” moment that you can share.

This all relates to something known as “identity capital”. Identity capital is all of the unique circumstances that you’ve been in that make you different from any other person or applicant. Growing your identity capital can come from trying a new job, volunteering, going to events, or anything that puts you outside of your normal routine and in a position to learn and/or meet new people to add to your network.

“I put myself outside of my comfort zone, which ultimately helped me build confidence in communicating directly and respectfully with players while building trust and rapport…”

Simple growth blog

For example, in my last semester of college, I was a part-time student and decided to get a campus job: I was an official for intramural sports that I had never played before, let alone officiated. I put myself outside of my comfort zone, which ultimately helped me build confidence in communicating directly and respectfully with players while building trust and rapport with my fellow officials.

Go to a career fair

One of the most nerve-wracking, but beneficial weeks of the school semester is the career fair. Schoolwork stops for no one, but on this day you may have to sacrifice. There are long lines filled with your peers that you’ll have to wait in to talk to a recruiter from your dream company. Each school is different and the companies they have relationships with are different, so definitely do some research beforehand on what companies will be visiting your school and what opportunities they’re recruiting for.

The most important thing about attending a career fair is that you network. Regardless of what comes out of the conversation (jobs, internships, nothing), half of the battle of getting a job that you’ll enjoy is making a positive impression on people in the industry and maintaining contact with everyone you meet. Who knows, you may even land an interview!

key tips for how to prepare for the career fair

• Do Your Research
• Prepare Your Materials (resume, cover letter, etc.)
• Dress Appropriately
• Make Connections
• Follow Up

Apply to as many jobs as possible…and then apply to 5 more

This is probably the step most people are familiar with…sending your resume into the abyss and hoping that someone at the company sees your work and thinks you’ll be a good fit. I applied to hundreds of jobs both when I was looking for an internship and my full-time position and even then, I sometimes didn’t even get a rejection email until months down the line. The important thing here is that it’s not always quality over quantity.

DO:

• Spend some extra time and care applying to roles you’re excited about
• Apply to as many jobs as possible (3 per day)
• Apply to jobs outside of your educational area if it seems like it could be a good fit

DON’T:

• Get discouraged if you don’t get a response right away
• Lower your standards too soon to try and get a job (lower expected pay or resources)

Try to apply to as many places and positions as possible because the more times you submit your resume, the more likely someone will see it and reach out. Once you’ve gotten a few interview opportunities whether they come from a career fair or cold application, you can be more critical of whether or not the position truly is the best fit for you.

Interview prep

Even before you’ve landed an interview you should start preparing for the big day. Interviews are a great opportunity to show more of your personable side while also highlighting the success and value that you’d bring to the company. More than anything, people want to hire people they like and would enjoy working alongside. Unless your skillset or resume is unmatched by any other applicant, hiring managers are unlikely to intentionally sacrifice a comfortable work environment.

To prep for an interview, spend time looking up common interview questions and figuring out experiences you have that could relate to that question. This shouldn’t be too hard because you’ve already done this to build your resume. Now you just have to elaborate on the key points that show your hardworking and approachable energy.

Remember: What will make you stand out at this point is being relatable, easy to talk to, and human.

Keep lines of communication open

The one thing I always try and keep in mind is that no matter how big the world seems, there are a lot of connections in industries and they MATTER. Even as you change companies, you may run into familiar faces, especially if you work in the same industry for a while. Maintaining open and respectful communication is always a good idea with your network. This can be as simple as connecting on Linkedin to stay in the loop with a coworker or manager. Being remembered can be helpful later in your career.

I know that figuring out the first step in this big transition can seem overwhelming, but everything will work out for the best. If you want to give yourself the best chance at securing your dream job, start with these tips because I firmly believe that fortune favors the prepared.