Although it’s only February, May is just around the corner, and for many of us that
means graduation time. But what happens after that? Do you already have a job
lined up or are going to be spending your time searching for a career? Hopefully,
you’ve already started hunting for jobs and preparing for life after college, but if not,
maybe this blog is just what you need to get motivated.

Job-hunting entails much more than uploading your résumé to Career Builder.com
and applying to every job you see.

Here are 10 tips to help guide you in your journey to finding your perfect career:

1. START NOW

You should have started preparing yesterday, so don’t postpone your search any
longer.

2. Get your portfolio together

If you need to add more pieces, make some. Your portfolio isn’t limited to class work
and jobs. Employers will be impressed that you took the time and initiative to work
on your portfolio.

3. Get your résumé up-to-date and looking good

Your résumé should be tailored to the job you are applying for and be appealing. In
this economy, employers are overwhelmed by the amount of résumés they receive,
so make sure yours stands out from the crowd and is free of errors.

4. Have other people review your résumé and critique your work

Two heads are always better than one; ask a professor, your employer, or potential
employer for feedback and stay away from asking friends who have no expertise in
your subject area.

5. Jot down things you want in your job.

Ask yourself questions, and figure out if you are willing to move or not, what is most
important to you and what you are willing to sacrifice for the job of your dreams.

6. Start your search.

Research the industry and companies you are interested in, and use your network to
see if you have any local contacts. Start hunting down professionals and introducing
yourself, and make connections.

7. Personalize your cover letter.

When it comes time to send a cover letter and résumé to a potential employer, don’t
make it generic! Personalize it by adding something about the company that appeals
to you, whether it is a project you admired that they worked on, how you are drawn
to their work environment, etc. A unique and informative cover letter that shows off
your personality is the key to landing a job, and is essentially what makes you stand
out from the pile of résumés sitting on your potential employer’s desk. Sell yourself
so the employer doesn’t toss your résumé to the side, or even worse, the trash.

8. Do a little extra research and address your cover letter to the person who is going to be hiring or is over what you are applying for.

It’s polite and professional, and shows that you took the initiative to do your
homework. You may have to send out a few emails or make a few calls, but it’ll be
worth it in the long run.

9. Make sure that everything is spelled correctly in your cover letter and resume.

Misspelled words or incorrect grammar are cardinal sins when it comes to job
hunting. A misspelled word guarantees your résumé or cover letter will end up in
the trash. If you don’t care enough to check your work, they don’t care enough to
read it.

10. Apply to more than one job and remember to sell yourself.

Employers really look at personality, creativity, and drive to learn. Think of yourself
as a brand, and come up with tangible qualities and assets you have when marketing
yourself to potential employers. Make sure you know who you are, your strengths,
weaknesses, what you want to do, why you want to do it, etc. Employers can train
you to do anything, but they can’t change your personality.

Bonus:

Clean up all those silly pictures and wall posts on Facebook and any of your other
social media sites, because employers are watching you. Make sure you use
good grammar and spell things correctly, as well as make sure you are projecting
a professional image even in your social life. Your social media is part of your
background check now and one inappropriate picture could cost you your dream
job.

So what are you waiting for? Start your search now!

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