There comes a time in your college career where you make a transition from childhood to adulthood. Starting your hunt for a job is the main part of that transition. Your entire life so far has been preparing you for this transition. Here are some steps that you need to take to help you with that transition and land you an amazing job.
1. Figure Out What You Are Looking For
Before you do anything you first need to figure out what you are looking for. Do you want a Co-Op, an internship, a part-time job, a full-time job? Co-ops and Internships are usually what college students are looking for but if you are a senior, you might be looking for a full-time job (go you)!
What do all of these terms mean? This may vary between companies but here's the run down.
Co-ops are usually full-time positions that you can take for a semester during college and you are paid.
Internships, on the other hand, are typically done in the summer and may vary whether they are paid or unpaid. They are mostly for the job experience.
Part-time jobs are usually what a student will get during the school year to earn a little money while they study. Opportunity cost am I right?
Full-time jobs are for the big boys. This is the job that you want once you have graduated from college because what else are you going to do with your life but work?
2. Make a Plan
Once you figure out what you are looking for, now it's time to figure out where you can work. Start off with a simple Google search. If you simply type in "Internships Near Me", it will pull up hundreds of thousands of companies looking for prospective students like you.
3. Talk to Your Advisor
If you are a student in college you have an Academic Advisor.
There was an entire presentation during Freshman Orientation about getting to know your academic advisor and how they are always there for you and THIS IS THE TIME TO USE THEM!
They will tell you where you can look for jobs and maybe even hand you applications. They can give you resources to people who can help you make a resume, cover letter, practice interviews, and more! I highly recommend using them as they are a valuable source of wisdom.
4. Create a Resume
It's just a fact, no one will hire you if you do not show them a resume. Get going and make one!
There are countless resume templates out there so just get a start on it and see how you do.
Start off by writing down everything that you have ever done in your life, work experience, internships, extracurricular's, awards — I want to know it all. Once you have done that, you can refine it, add "active words/phrases" as some say, delete all of your high school experience (unless you're a freshman).
Once you've refined it a bit, have everyone and your mother look over it, ask your roommate, your mom, your professors, your advisor, even random strangers you meet walking around. Everyone will have advice and different things to point out which will help you in the long run.
5. Get an Outfit
You can't go looking for a job without a professional outfit ready. Go out in a nice pantsuit or cute blouse and skirt combo and you will be set. There are plenty of places that you can go for your first business outfit for cheap (I just bought one at Target). The big thing to know about picking out an outfit is...
Pick neutral colors — black, dark blue, grey, brown. They are all your friends.
Buy clothes that fit. Nothing is more embarrassing than having a jacket that is too big and your sleeves spilling over your hands, or pants that you are tripping over because they are too long.
Match your shoes and your belt. If you are wearing a black belt then you have to wear black shoes, it's just a rule.
Don't worry about being overdressed, it is better to be overdressed than to be underdressed.
6. Research Companies
Before you go about applying for jobs, make sure that you do your research. Look up companies that interest you, read about their history, their goals, past projects.
Figure out what their values are and see if they match with your own. Look up how other workers have liked the company and check their ratings.
Figure out questions that you may want to ask the company if you get an interview.
7. Apply
Now you've found a company, or companies, that you like and it's time to start applying. Take your time with the application, write everything out then reread it a few hundred times. Then have your mom and whoever else read it too. Make sure that everything is completed and is well written.
8. Prepare a Cover Letter
Cover letters are a little tricky.
They are basically a document that you attach to your resume to share more information about your experiences and skills you have acquired over the years. This is the place where you can get a little personal to show the recruiter a little more about yourself.
9. Ace the Interview
You applied and now you got called in to do an interview. This is the time you will wear that snazzy well-fitted pantsuit.
Get all dressed up, print out a copy of your resume on professional resume paper.
Arrive 15 minutes early and just relax.
They called you in for an interview so that means whatever information you have provided so far has sparked their interest enough to talk to you more. Go into that interview with a firm handshake, solid answers, honesty, and enough knowledge to be able to answer questions at the end.
10. Get a Job
You did it!
You made a plan, figured out what you wanted, talked to people, applied, and got the job!
Take a deep breath, you can relax and just get ready for work on Monday.
Follow these steps and you will be on your way to access!
