Congratulations! You have finished your 3-4 years degree course and have become a graduate!
Now you are faced with another exciting life venture, finding a job. Brace yourself dear readers, because the reality is that for every 100 resumes you send out, the most replies you will receive are 2 or 3 call backs. But do not worry, here is a guide that will help you get a job quicker than the average and we are confident it is fairly easy to apply.
Internships Are A Quick Win
Once you finish your course, you will need to gain experience in your related field. You can do this by signing up for internships whether it is paid or ‘free’. Most job sites have Internships listings but for a more focused search visit Internships. If you wish you to volunteer yourself you can refer to Student Job which has internships that provide some expense allowance.
The reasons why an internship is advisable is you can get hands on experience, widen your networking and it is possible that the place where you intern will be your future permanent workplace.
Search For a Job Using Social Media
Do you spend a lot of your time on your mobile phone or other similar gadgets? It is time to put it to good use. Networking plays a very important role if you wish to enter the marketplace. Social media is your best friend, follow the companies you shortlisted or you have heard great reviews on social media. Businesses usually hire marketing managers to update their Twitter, Facebook, Google+. LinkedIn is especially recommended to use to interact with the real decision makers – CEO’s, Directors alike. Use Linkedin and you may be able to cut the ‘admin gateman’ and send your CV directly to the top. Try to complete and add a lot of information on your LinkedIn account. Similarly, many companies use LinkedIn to find employees to join them. In addition to that, you can follow influential people and try to follow their career footsteps.
Freelancing Can Gain You Valuable Work Experience
This next suggestion is especially for creatives who wish to pursue self-employment. You can sign up for some freelance sites. Upwork is one of the best free freelancing websites because it is a partnership between Odesk and Elance, two of the oldest freelancing websites that have been running quite effectively. There’s a wide variety of things you can do in Upwork. You can ‘bid’ for jobs online if you are good in writing, creating graphics, computer programming, accounting, legal and so on. You should watch some videos to help you out on how to start your work as a full time freelancer or you could do it as a side business as it is also a means of earning money.
Attend Career Fairs
When there is career fair in your city do your best to attend. That is where you will get the most companies looking to hire under the same roof! A good tip is for you to always be ready. Decide which industry you want to target; you may even go as far as researching which companies will attend and targeting a chosen company. Have your resume and CV written to cater as closely as possible to the company you are targeting. Some related experience which is similar to the company is a bonus, It shows that you are the ‘perfect’ match with that organisation. For example, let’s say Company A is a business that has strong relationship with a non-profit organization and you did volunteer work during your course, it can be included in your CV. Do not put everything in your CV/resume just the main points as it is supposed to be brief and straight to the point.
Then Lastly…
Nearly all employers will agree it’s important to stand out amongst a sea of CV’s. Be Innovative and creative; think out of the box in your job search and be unique. Bear in mind that when you are in the working field, it is very different from studies. Working requirements are not solely on the job descriptions as stated in the post, it requires dedication, commitment, hard work, sometimes long hours, patience in your current position and monotony. On the other hand, finding the right placement can be life changing and ultimately fulfilling.
We hope you have been inspired to break into your desired Career!
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