• Networking is one of the most effective ways to find a job you love. Sometimes, who you know is just as important as what you know.
• Attending job fairs can help connect you with employers who are eager to hire new employees. 
• Tailoring your resume for job listings on sites like Monster or Indeed can help you land your next work opportunity.

Job hunting after graduation is a full-time gig. While hiring rates depend on where you live and what industry you work in, there are some things you can do to increase your odds of finding work. 

Tapping into your network, attending job fairs, and utilizing online job postings could help you land your next awesome job. 

Networking

When it comes to securing a job, sometimes who you know is as important as what you know. Your network may alert you to job opportunities you otherwise would not have heard about, and they might be able to give you a referral.

As you network, let everyone know you’re looking for a position, including your family members, friends, teachers, professors, and any other professional contacts you may have connected with in school or at other jobs.

If you don’t have a solid professional network, you can build one. Consider reaching out to people you admire for mentorship. Some of your requests may go unanswered, but you’d be surprised by how many industry leaders are willing to lend a hand or advice to someone just making their way into the field. 

Another way to network and see who is hiring is to attend events like job fairs.

Job Fairs

Your high school, college, community center, or local professional organizations might hold job fairs. These can be helpful as you search for your first job.

When you attend these events, it’s wise to dress for the position you want. You’ll also want to bring copies of your resume to give to potential employers. 

However, if you hit it off with a hiring manager for a specific position, you may want to take their card, go home, tailor your resume for the position, and submit it on the company’s hiring platform. A generalized resume can be a good tool at a job fair, but it’s a blunt tool. Crafting your resume for a specific job can improve your chances of getting hired. 

In addition, sending a thank you email or handwritten thank you note to any contacts you made at the job fair is good practice and help can keep you on top of their mind as companies make hiring decisions.

Job Websites

Finding listings on sites like Monster or Indeed doesn’t give you the same “in” as a personal, face-to-face connection, but it can help you discover opportunities you wouldn’t have otherwise known about. This can be a good tool if you don’t have a “strong” professional network.

As you apply for jobs on these sites, consider tailoring your resume to the job description before finalizing your application. You’ll want to mirror keywords, attributes, and skills outlined in the description.

Sometimes, an algorithm filters applicants based on these keywords before a human hiring manager views potential hires. You’ll need to make your resume look good to humans and computers.

Final Word

Finding a job is a job in and of itself. It’s a lot of work and may feel overwhelming at times, but the key is not giving up.

Alert your network to your professional goals so that they can help connect you with potential leads. Showing up professionally to job fairs and carefully applying to positions on job websites can also help.
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