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The sounds of “Pomp and Circumstance” have faded to memory and the hard reality of looking for a job in the real world has set in. Four years of college went by really fast and settling back into “life with the folks” is a lot harder than you thought it would be (all the more incentive to get a job). But let’s face it, this is “the big time” and very little of what you learned in school has prepared you for looking for a job. Yeah, you may have visited the college career office at one point in your senior year, but what did they tell you again?
The first and most important thing you will need is a resume. Take your time with this as your ability to “get your foot in the door” is heavily dependent on the content and “look and feel” of your resume.Click To TweetNot to worry, you are not alone (although your parents don’t really want to hear “none of my friends have found jobs either”). This post leverages CareerAlley’s vast library of resources to help you get on your way to getting a job in the real world.
Where to Start – Do you have your resume?
- Job Search Planning:– This is the first lesson in CareerAlley’s job search Planning lessons. These free lessons (a series of three) provide a number of resources to create your job search plan. See the bullet list below as well.
- 5 Steps to a Great Resume – The first and most important thing you will need is a resume. Take your time with this as your ability to “get your foot in the door” is heavily dependent on the content and “look and feel” of resume lessons, provides some great tips to help you get started (or to improve on what you already have).
If you're looking for help in reviewing and updating your resume, we've created a list of our resume review and resume writing partners. Many will provide a free review of your resume.
Make a Plan:
- Keep a list to keep track of which sites you’ve visited. Include your username and password for each site. You think you will remember them but you won’t. Also, include the last date you visited
- ALWAYS return calls as soon as possible, start off your day doing this
- review your top 5 job search sites
- Check jobs on LinkedIn
- Respond to emails as appropriate (and related)
- Research, research, research – making a list of companies you would like to work for
- Register on 3-5 company websites
- Register on 3-5 job search sites
- Send your resume to 3-5 recruiters/headhunters
- Use job agents and leverage technology
- Register where you can and make sure you upload your resume
- Are you all done with every list known to man (not likely)? Recycle the list, revisit the job search boards and try new searches
Apply to your next job with confidence.
While other books focus only on crafting the perfect résumé or cover letter, the truth is, you need a strategy for the entire job application process.
A strategy that communicates your expereinces, achievements, and results in a way that provides value to hiring managers.
Other Options – Internships
Just because you graduated college doesn’t mean that you can’t consider an internship. At a minimum, this will give you some great experience and there is always the possibility of a job offer:
- OneDayOneInternship.com – Associated with OneDayOneJob.com, I’m sure you’ve guessed what this site is focused on. Links at the top of the main page for Today’s Internships, Past Internships, Entry Level Jobs (links back to ondayonejob.com), About US, Blog, and more. The Past Internships link leads to a list of internships previously posted on the site. You can view the list by Date, Employer, and Tag Cloud. Clicking on any company link leads to a full page with a broad range of information (including internships). There are additional helpful links on the right-hand side of the page which provide additional information or direct links. If you’ve read any of my college career posts you will know how I stress the power and importance of internships during college. This is the site to go to when making your decisions regarding internships. A wealth of information is included in all of the links with a very clean and crisp interface.
- Internweb.com – It’s a very good idea to have as many internships during your college education as possible, but if you are graduating this year and don’t have a job, you could certainly still do an internship over the summer until you find full-time employment. This site has tabs near the top for Intern Listing, Intern Jobs, College Intern, and Intern Board. Below this, there is an Intern search bar to the left and below that is a section for students with plenty of resources. The Center section is your main search area where you can subscribe or look at some internships now.
