Here are some tips to make sure you get a job quickly after graduating.
Early preparation is one of the best things you can do to land a job right after you graduate college. Late fall of your senior year is when you need to buckle down and get serious about your job search, if you have not already.
- Take advantage of your college?s career services office. Online, it is so easy to find job openings that you may have overlooked a tremendous asset under your nose. A college?s career services office provides tremendous assistance in job hunting, from helping you write or polish application materials to contacting alumni who can serve as mentors or get you the inside track for an open position at a company. The office can also help you find an internship.
- Start an internship as early as you can. Many college majors require internships, but the earlier you do your first one, the better. High school, even if you are not sure what kind of job you want, is a fine time to start. Why earlier? It means more time for other internships to help you build a comprehensive portfolio, and it also gives you more time to adjust your course if the internship helps you realize your job focus should be elsewhere. Internships are invaluable networking tools, and many companies hire former interns.
- Develop a LinkedIn presence. Even high school students benefit from making a LinkedIn profile. Such profiles should include education, awards, recognitions, skills, career goals and jobs held. Even better, the profiles are easy to tweak if you need to remove jobs because you?ve acquired further work experience. Last but not least, LinkedIn is extremely helpful for networking and finding mentors. Reach out to people.
