Job Search Tips for New Graduates

May is coming to a close and it’s that time of year again: college graduation time. As a result, a bunch of fresh faces are ready to hit the ground running and enter the work force. I remember being scared when I entered the workforce in 2004; all of a sudden the real world smacks you right in the face and everyone expects you to be ready to jump right into a career. Unfortunately, it’s not always that simple. Getting a job is difficult at any level, and obtaining an entry-level position is no exception. Nevertheless, there are a number of tactics graduates can use to improve their job search. Here are a few tips that can help college graduates land that first job out of school:

Work with a Firm

Working with staffing firms is a great way to market your resume to a large audience, and it’s free for job seekers. Working with a technical resource manager or recruiter can have several benefits. First, recruiters have access to local and national clients that are always looking for motivated employees.  Also, by working with a recruiter at a staffing firm, you will have access to professionals who work with resumes every day. Recruiters will be able to give you advice on how to construct a resume and can tell you what looks appealing to potential employers.

Job Fairs

Job fairs have been around forever and are still a very effective endeavor for those looking for employment. Job fairs can be very specific, but don’t have to be. There are job fairs directly related to certain careers or fields, but there are also local fairs catered towards a certain geographic area. Company representatives attend job fairs in hopes of recruiting new employee, making these events great opportunities for new graduates to meet potential employers face-to-face and learn a great deal about the company.  Many times job seekers send in their resumes via email or through an online application, which works well in certain fields. But job fairs give candidates the chance to shake a hiring manager’s hand, have a conversation about the job and provide a face to go along with their resume. This can be very successful for new graduates if done correctly, so prepare for job fairs like you would an interview by researching companies attending and have an elevator pitch ready to share with possible employers.

Social Media

In current times, it’s nearly necessary to be active on a variety of social networks and to have a digital footprint, as employers research candidates online before even scheduling interviews. Similarly, candidates can use social media to help with a job search, especially recent graduates, having knowledge of the social landscape. Social media in a job search is all about building your own personal brand and marketing yourself. There are a number of different social media channels a graduate can utilize to build their brand and to pursue job opportunities. With Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, various blogs and more at candidates’ fingertips, there are a variety of ways one can interact with companies and professionals online that could potentially lead to a job opportunity. Additionally, recent graduates can learn a great deal about a company’s culture, employees and more by researching and interacting with a company’s online profiles.

In this era, it can be tough for entry-level candidates to find a job as soon as they are able to work.  As a result, it is imperative to use all an array of tactics such as working with recruiters, attending job fairs and being active on social media sites in order to land job right out of college. What job search tips do you have for current or soon-to-be college graduates? Let us know in the comment section below.