How to Prepare for the Job Market Before Graduation
You are perhaps a semester or two from graduating, and you’re now seriously thinking about what you’ll do after college. This is the perfect time to take a look at the job market and determine how and where you’ll fit in it. Here is a simple checklist to take into account before you graduate and enter the work force.
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Instructions
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Study the job market. Find out what jobs are hot right now and which are not. This can be done by researching such online search engines as Hotjobs.com or Craigslist. Not only will you have a better idea of the jobs and careers that are hot now, but you’ll also know what employers are looking for in potential candidates. For instance, if you’re going into publishing, potential job offers in that field will state what they’re looking for in terms of requirements and experience. Bear in mind, "hot" doesn’t necessarily mean highly competitive. A highly competitive job market will make it harder for you to get your foot through the door. "Hot" can also mean a new field that is opening up in the job market. These types of careers are ripe for fresh recruits. Check with your career counseling center at your school to determine what careers will offer the best opportunities for you and your career goals.
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Do an internship. Internships not only give you valuable work experience, but they also provide you with contacts and references when you enter the job market. Though education is important, potential employers are much more impressed with a job applicant who has had real experience in the work force. It gives them a sense of your strengths and potentials as a worker.
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Use your contacts to find work. Contacts can be anyone. They can be people you’ve met while interning, or they can even be family members. For instance, a family member can be useful in researching what companies are hiring. This can be a great way to know of immediate job openings.
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Make a list of your strengths and weaknesses as a potential employee. Get a clear assessment of your worth in the job market. This will help you better articulate what you have to offer to potential employers as you interview for jobs. It will also give you a chance to capitalize on your strengths and work on your weaknesses. Sometimes, in order to get a job, you’re going to have to break out of your box and try and experience new things. Getting a clear assessment of your strengths and weaknesses allows you to determine what you need to work on first before you schedule your first job interview.
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Write your resume. A winning resume will always get a potential job candidate through that first hurdle: the job interview. There are plenty of books and websites online that can help you build the perfect, attention-getting resume. The most important thing to remember while building your resume is to always put your best face forward. You want to attract attention, so highlight your strengths (work or educational experience or volunteering) upfront.
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Attend any job fairs or career seminars at your university. These will help prepare you once you enter the job market and give you an indication of what to expect. Learn how to do a job interview. Find out what you should or shouldn’t say during an interview, how to dress, what type of questions to ask or any pre-interview preparations you should do (for instance, researching the company where you’re applying for work).
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Tips & Warnings
When signing up for your major, try studying a particular discipline or a minor. For instance, if you’re a business major, decide whether or not you want to narrow the field to marketing, management, or some other specialty. This will specialize your educational and interning experience and will also provide you with better opportunities in scoring a job in that field.
Stay positive. If you don’t get that first job, another will come your way. Always put your best face forward and remember that you have value and worth that is unique to the work force. As long as you capitalize on that, then you’ll do fine.
Be honest. Don’t pad your resume. Employers will find out sooner or later that you lied. This could hurt you as you seek employment elsewhere.
