New Grads Seeking their First Job: Recommendations & Key Takeaways

This blog post is for all the new graduates who spill into the job market at least three times per year, eager to start their new careers and begin earning a living in their chosen profession.  In this blog, we share some tips for new grads seeking their first job.

Hunting for the first job can sound like an intimidating experience.  However, if new graduates take a systematic approach to job hunting, the experience can be a rewarding learning experience.  Below is a of items of suggestions for any new job seeker:

·  Have an updated basic resume that clearly states your objective, skills summary, education summary, experience summary, hobbies, and interests.

·  Do not embed contact information or any other important details in the header or footer of your document.  Many applicant tracking systems are unable to read the information when it’s shaded from scanning.

·  Have multiple versions of your resume to target different positions, for example; Engineering Design, Technical Sales, or Research & Development.

·  Have an updated LinkedIn profile with attached resumes, portfolios, recommendations, and examples of past projects.  Be sure to include a recent professional photograph, and include your email and phone number in a spot that someone can easily find; like the Heading, Summary, or “Advice For Contacting” sections.

·  Use a public email provider like Gmail, and try not to use a university email.

·  Get some basic certifications like those from Solidworks, or any other valuable certifications, for example, register for the EIT exam while the topics are still fresh in your memory.

·  Make a Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 list of desired jobs, companies, and locations, then create job alerts to email you when a new job opening is available at a target company.

·  Have a spreadsheet of all target companies (including managers) and begin working LinkedIn & internal contacts.

·  Don’t be afraid to request “information interviews” of your target companies or to drop by the locations to hand-deliver a resume to the hiring manager or HR representative.

·  Get experience any way possible; even through volunteering, internships, and small projects with friends.

Research and explore career fairs, company seminars, and conferences, because hiring managers can be available to provide additional tips to landing your first job.

·  Job seekers have to be flexible about their desired work location when they start out because many times job openings are not available in an area that is desirable at first.

·  Contact target companies about their summer internship programs

·  Sign up for industry newsletters that release articles of the company hiring events or company expansion plans.