The purpose of a college degree: to score a job. However, not everyone is going to have a job lined up when they graduate. This means you'll have to find ways to stay productive and on the radar of potential employers in the meantime. So what are some things that you can do to stay relevant while searching for a job?
1. Make Sure Your Resume Represents You Well
When you send in a resume, it's important that it's free of spelling or grammatical errors. If there are errors, it makes it easier for a hiring manager to throw your resume in the trash. Keep in mind that a hiring manager may takes as little as nine seconds to review your resume and determine if you are going to get an interview. Therefore, always be concise and to-the-point.
2. Look for Volunteer Opportunities
While you won't get paid for your time, you will learn valuable skills and make contacts that could help you in the future. If you want to take on a leadership position at some point in your career, volunteer organizations may be where you get your start. Whereas a business will want you to spend time paying your dues before you make the move to management, volunteer groups generally offer leadership roles to whoever is willing to make time for them.
3. Go to Job Fairs and Other Networking Events
It's common for people to concentrate solely on social media or their blog as a means of promotion. While this is a great way to build a professional online presence, don't forget to meet people face-to-face every so often as well. Job fairs give you the perfect opportunity to present your resume to decision makers, while networking events help you put faces to the names of industry leaders and others who can be helpful to your future.
4. Think About Self-Employment
After you graduate from college, you may be required to start paying your own rent in addition to repaying student loans. Therefore, you'll need to earn money until you can find your first full-time job. This may mean that you work for a ridesharing company, write articles for pay online, or even walk dogs to make ends meet. Again, the pay may not be great, but it will give you the opportunity to be your own boss and learn how and why your future boss makes decisions related to raises or promotions.
5. Keep Your Head Up
At some point, you may begin to doubt yourself or your choice to pursue higher education. However, the worst thing that you can do during your job search is to get discouraged. If you stop looking for openings or stop networking with others, you only guarantee that you will be out of a job for the foreseeable future.
In some cases, you may benefit from expanding the parameters of your job search or looking for work that may be outside of your preferred industry. For instance, you may want to be open to moving to another state or working an overnight shift if that gives you the best chance to start your career.
Graduating from college is just the first step toward getting a job. Now, you have to find an employer who is willing to hire you or bring you on as an independent contractor. Consistent networking, volunteer work, and a positive attitude are all tools that you can use to make and keep yourself relevant no matter how long it takes to find a full-time job.
