Class Of ‘23: How To Boost Your Chances Of Finding Your First Job After College
It’s one thing to navigate four years of college successfully and earn a degree. It’s quite another challenge to land that first “real” job after graduation.
It may not take four years to find the job you want, but it can seem like it for anxious college graduates new to the hunt, worried about the job market in general and unsure of the most effective ways to stand out from the crowd, says Kathleen Quinn Votaw (www.talentrust.com), CEO of TalenTrust, a strategic recruiting and human capital consulting firm, and author of Dare to Care in the Workplace: A Guide to the New Way We Work.
“Young people nearing graduation or entering the job market in their early 20s are confused about applying for jobs and how to conduct themselves in interviews,” Quinn Votaw says. “They wonder, ‘Who wants to hire me, and what should I say in my application and in the interview?’
“They don’t teach you any of that in college or high school – the practical things like the type of conversation you should have in an interview, what your resume should look like, what employers are looking for in candidates, and how you can demonstrate values such as your work ethic, honesty and reliability.”
Quinn Votaw offers these tips for young job applicants pursuing their first career-type position:
Don’t “post and pray”: Be proactive and direct with your enthusiasm. Companies can receive hundreds of applications and inquiries for a single job listing, and Quinn Votaw says candidates who merely go online and post their application and cover letter like most everyone else aren’t doing enough to stand out.
“If you post and pray that your application and resume will get noticed, you risk getting lost in the volume of candidates,” she says. “You need to go the extra step, which first means looking online and finding companies you want to work for and researching them. Second, send your resume to the CEO, president or owner and convey your enthusiasm about working for them.
“Ask them in your letter who you can talk to at the company to get hired. When they see your aggressiveness and sincere interest and know you’ve put in the time to research their company, you’ve got a much better chance of being interviewed.”
Start networking. The adage, It’s not what you know, it’s who you know still applies. Networking is a long-proven way of landing a job. “Contact professionals in your chosen field for informational consultations,” Quinn Votaw says.
“Join a professional group related to your field and attend conferences and webinars. Along with attending networking events, get lists of alumni from your career office or alumni association and gain insight into their career path. See what contacts they have that could get your foot in the door for an interview. Do the same with past employers, faculty, friends and others who have observed you and know some of your strengths.”
Develop a personal website. This is an effective way to stand out in your job search. Linking to a personal website at the top of your resume or application gives the employer access to a larger display of your attributes. “Creating your own website gives you a platform to showcase your personality, skills and portfolio,” Quinn Votaw says. “You can add content reflecting who you are through blogs and videos. It goes well beyond a standard resume or application. And search results for your name will turn up your website, allowing you to reach more employers with more information about yourself.”
Prepare an elevator pitch. You never know: Your best break for a job might come unexpectedly at a store or restaurant. “That’s why it’s important that you have an elevator pitch ready,” Quinn Votaw says. “And preparing one starts with having a grasp of your strengths and aspirations, then boiling them down to a 30-second infomercial of yourself. You want to get right into the essence of who you are and what you’re looking for.” “Looking for your first fulltime career-type job can seem like a full-time job itself, but the payoff is big if you commit yourself completely to the process,” Quinn Votaw says. “Since job-seeking really isn’t taught in school, you’re learning a lot on the fly, but an organized, systematic approach can build confidence and increase your chances for success.
Kathleen Quinn Votaw (www. talentrust.com) is the CEO of TalenTrust, a strategic recruiting and human capital consulting firm. She is the author of two books, Dare to Care in the Workplace: A Guide to the New Way We Work, and Solve The People Puzzle: How HighGrowth Companies Attract & Retain Top Talent.