Top Tips to Help College Seniors Prepare for the Upcoming Job Search Craze

As a college senior nearing graduation, the search for a good job becomes more urgent. Finally graduating means you’ll have the degree to launch a promising career, if you can just find the right opportunity. To help you get the best results from your job search, try these tips for getting a head start before on the other college grads looking for a job.

Start Networking

Successful people of all kinds are strong believers in networking. Good connections and relationships will help you discover potential employment others might miss. Networking doesn’t have to be difficult or time-consuming. You could start by attending one of the Career Services events at you school. You might want to join alumni and professional organizations and attend meetings or seminars.

If you’re not on LinkedIn, create your own profile and start communicating. Connect with established professionals over other social platforms like Facebook and ask about job openings. The fact is, you won’t find any special opportunities on job boards that everybody else isn’t applying for. Go outside your usual social circles and look for influencers who can point out opportunities that aren’t general knowledge yet.

Be Prepared for Rejection

In the course of your job hunt, you’ll likely go on a number of interviews and encounter repeated rejections. Most hiring managers will hold several interviews when it comes to key positions, and you may shine in all of them but still get rejected by one negative opinion. Often it’s not anything you did wrong, but one interviewer may just decide someone else is a better candidate based on their own personal criteria. Conversely, there may be times where you feel an interview went badly, but you get a job offer all the same.

There’s not necessarily any distinct logic to the process. Don’t blame yourself and become discouraged. If you do make mistakes, learn from them.

Show What You Have to Offer

On average, each corporate job posting receives 250 resumes. Generic, paper resumes get little attention. Most employers search digital resumes looking for certain keywords regarding skills and education. Learn how to write a good resume and a good cover letter.

Vague responses during the interview process may do more harm than good, but a little self-promotion is expected. It may even sway things in your favor. If you like taking charge, are eager to learn new skills, or thrive under pressure, mention it. Have some professional or academic experiences in mind to back up your claims. Many times an interviewer will ask point-blank questions like: “Why should we hire you?” Practice talking about your positive experiences and contributions without seeming hesitant, confused, or making boastful claims. Employers are always looking for people who can communicate well and function as team players.

Study What You’ll Really Need to Know

A nice resume and a degree are all well and good, but you should take the time to acquire skills that will distinguish you from other graduates in your field. If you’ve taken courses or earned certificates, it will help to list them on your resume. You should be able to identify core skills that are valuable in the job market and increase your expertise with them.

For instance, if you’re getting a business degree you might want to get SQL training. Structured Query Language is essential for working with databases, a component of nearly any company’s IT systems and decision-making process. If you can discuss in-demand skills at an advanced level, you’ll raise your value as a candidate.

Start working on your career plans early. Just as you studied hard to earn a degree, you should put some real effort into acquiring vital skills and presenting yourself as the top candidate. You may find the job offers come to you.