Your Job Search: Strategies for Success

Reading Time 4 minutes

Welcome to the ever illusive real-world! Combatting a combination of both excitement and fear? No need to panic—you are not alone! Incorporate these initial tips to kickstart your job search and remember that the hardest step is the first one.

Be confident

You remember applying to college, right? The process was likely nerve-wracking at first—but you mastered it with ~~patience, diligence and faith in yourself~~. Invoke that same confident mentality when job searching and try to be patient. According to Indeed, the average job search takes around 9 weeks, so don’t lose confidence if the process is taking longer than you expected.

Reflect on what fuels you

Think back on your coursework, internships and job experiences. When did you feel energized? Passionate? In what working environments have you felt most confident? What made them so appealing? ~~Identifying and documenting your interests~~ will not only help you identify good fit companies and jobs but will also help you prepare for interview questions. Don’t forget to leverage the comprehensive Field Atlas site to seek more information on job titles and companies that may be a good fit for you.

Maximize available resources

Your university has successfully supported thousands of graduates into their first professional role. Don’t miss out on your school’s tremendous experience and available opportunities! Get to know your academic advisor and tap into their knowledge; leverage professor office hours, visit the career center and ~~attend as many career fairs as you can~~. Already graduated? No worries. Many of these resources may still be available.

Don’t delay the inevitable

Job searching is a skill like anything else—the only way to improve is with practice and experience. Browse career sites to become familiar with the current job market, research available role types and ~~set realistic expectations based on your qualifications~~. Be prepared, job searching is a full-time endeavor; treat it like a class project that’s worth 100% of your grade. No excuses. Just hard work.

Polish more than just your resume

How would an employer feel about your email address? Your social media presence? ~~Consider different platforms and update them to reflect the professional you~~. How comfortable are you with LinkedIn? This social platform is especially important, so intentionally become familiar with what it has to offer and ensure your profile clearly states you are seeking employment opportunities.

Network, network, network!

Speaking of LinkedIn—be sure to harness the power of this amazing resource. Use it to find job opportunities, make industry connections and build your network. It is completely acceptable to reach out to individuals with similar interests, whether they are peers or more experienced professionals—~~simply introducing yourself can go a long way~~. While it’s important to make new professional connections—remember to utilize your personal network of family and friends and social/professional organizations with which you have been involved. Talk with them about your goals, ask them to critique your resume and cover letters and ask them for any relevant connections. Whether live or via LinkedIn, a warm introduction is often the most productive way to expand your network and potential opportunities.

Get organized

As you prepare to job search across several sites—set up a simple excel sheet to keep track of job openings, favorite companies, application progress, due dates and more.

Focus on YOU

As you begin searching and applying, you will likely receive much (sometimes unsolicited) advice from friends in the same boat or family members who want to help. Be mindful, listen and take advantage of these conversations to the best of your ability—and remember ~~it’s also perfectly acceptable to keep progress to yourself~~. Share only what you’re comfortable with and never distract yourself with comparisons.

How to Prepare for an Interview

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Congratulations! You landed an interview. Take a moment to celebrate this milestone then let’s get down to business. The hard work has just begun!

Remember planning > cramming

Most students have crammed a week’s worth of studying into one night, but most students are also experienced test takers. When it comes to interviewing professionally, cramming is a recipe for disaster — especially when you are new to it. ~~You owe yourself and the company your personal best~~, respect their time and yours by fully committing to the process and taking proper time to prepare.

Set your timeline

Companies usually provide interviewees a few days to a week to prepare, but any number of time and availability constraints could require them to push for an immediate date. When scheduling, always be kind, flexible and transparent. ~~Break out your preparation plan in three stages~~, whether your interview is in three days or three weeks.

Up to two weeks before:

							Become an expert on the company’s brand and mission
Be familiar with the company Web site, any recent news or press coverage as applicable
Review their social media posts
Research who you will be meeting with
Research behavioral question examples and practice answering them
Identify three to five personal selling points
Prepare an ‘I’m thinking’ phrase to give you ample time to answer complex questions
Prepare thoughtful questions to ask the employer
						

The day before:

Print extra copies of your resume and reference list
Take a test drive to the interview location (as applicable)
Plan (and clean) your interview outfit and the bag you will be carrying
Review your materials and write notecards if helpful

The day of:

							Practice mindfulness
Briefly review your notes
Leave yourself plenty of time to travel if meeting in-person
Silence your cell phone
Bring a portfolio to take notes
						

							The preparation process outlined above will help you build confidence over time but remember that it’s normal to experience nerves. As long as you’ve prepared, you have no reason to stress. Practice positive thinking, listen to your favorite music and walk in the door ready to demonstrate your best professional self.						

You Received a Job Offer … Now What?

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							You applied, interviewed, interviewed some more and (drum roll, please) … you have an offer. Congratulations! This is a huge accomplishment, and your hard work has paid off. So, what happens now?
First things first…
This is a big decision, so it’s okay to take time to think it over. Respond with gracious acknowledgement and advise that you’d like to take a few days to review and will be in touch with any questions. You want to be respectful of their time. If they have not provided a clear deadline, establish one in your response.

What about negotiating?
As an early-career professional, you won’t have much experience to leverage a significant increase in pay or vacation benefits; however, employers often anticipate some level of negotiation after the initial offer. That being said, that does not mean you should expect them to always counter.

This is a delicate task at any experience level so conduct industry benchmark research, consider the total benefits package and do not take it personally. If you decide to negotiate on benefits or salary, they may remain firm; however, remember that the experience itself will increase your business acumen and demonstrate self-worth and confidence.						

If it’s the job for you…

It’s best to ~~accept a job offer in writing~~. Besides communicating enthusiastic acceptance, ~~confirm the terms of your offer~~ – your job title, salary, benefits, start date and other information important to your acceptance. Be sure to express that you’re excited for the opportunity and that you look forward to bringing value to the organization.

If you’ve decided to decline the offer…

If the job isn’t the right one for you, don’t sweat it – it’s a normal part of the hiring process. While you’re not going to be working for the company, you still want to ~~leave a positive and professional impression.~~

Once you know that you won’t be accepting, them as soon as possible. Express your appreciation for both the offer and their time throughout the process. You can choose to provide a reason for your declination (you’re unable to relocate, you’ve decided to pursue another opportunity, etc.) but it’s best not to go into elaborate detail. Lastly, close cordially. You want to maintain the relationship with both the company and the hiring manager should your future paths cross.

It is better to decline an initial job offer than to accept and back out of your offer at a later date.

Questions to Ask During Job Interviews

Reading Time 2 minutes

Consider the impact a future job will have on your daily life. You will likely be spending 40+ hours per week there! A job certainly does not shape your entire personal identity, but it’s best to figure out if a potential employer will be a good personal fit before accepting an offer. An interview is your formal opportunity to do just that.

Remember—interviews aren’t interrogations. Questions go both ways. The employer will no doubt dig deeper into your experience, interests and qualifications. You, too, should ~~be prepared to acquire specific information~~ about company values, its people and of course the role you’ve applied to during each interview. Customize the following starter questions in coordination with your company research to gain crucial insights and impress your interviewer:

							How do you incorporate the company goals of x, y and z within your direct teams’ strategy?
How does the team hold itself accountable to the core company values of x, y and z?
What are the critical success factors of this role?
						

Follow up: can you elaborate on some of the challenges frequently encountered in this role? What values do you believe makes a candidate better positioned to take them on?

							Could you please describe any unlisted/not yet discussed hard skills you are seeking in a candidate?
						

Follow up: is your team currently experiencing any type of skills gap?

							How does your company approach career growth and mentorship? Can you give me any individual examples of growth within the company?
						

							While these questions are helpful as a guide, you should take accountability for what topics best fit the situation and create additional questions of your own. Be curious and think with purpose. You will be able to ask some as the conversation flow dictates; but be sure to follow up at the end of the conversation to tie up any loose ends.						

After an Interview: Follow Up Best Practices

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Job interviews are not a one size fits all experience. Sometimes nerve-wracking, sometimes enjoyable and sometimes somewhere in between. Whatever the key takeaway(s), ~~always plan to follow up~~ with whom you spoke… you’re a professional now! Neglecting to do so could seriously undermine your candidacy and inadvertently communicate that you are not interested and/or did not respect the time of those interviewing you.

During the interview itself, it’s your job to ~~get all the facts~~—ask about the hiring timeline, take detailed notes and save business cards from everyone you meet. After, use these simple tips to appropriately follow up:

							Send a personal thank you email or note to each interviewer on the day you interview
Refer back to strong points of the conversation and reiterate your interest/ main selling points
Be genuine and express gratitude
Feel free to send a hand-written note as well (bonus points!); just keep it simple and not repetitive

Continue applying and attending interviews while you await next steps
Exercise patience—be aware that the hiring timeline is not set in stone
Take their timeline with a grain of salt—add a week to the schedule the employer provides and then plan to follow up if you have not heard from them
						

Be alarmed when you don’t hear anything back immediately
Send a second follow up before waiting at least a week
Agonize—the ball is in their court

The interviewing and hiring process takes time and logistics, requiring patience and tact. If your top pick does not follow up before receiving another offer, it is perfectly acceptable to ask for an updated timeline to guide your decision-making. Still nothing but radio silence? You may feel disheartened and that’s okay! Reflect on what you’ve learned throughout the process instead of dwelling on the rejection.

Conquering Job Applications

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60% of job seekers say they’ve quit filling out a job application due to its length or complexity. Ouch! This statistic from Learning Hub certainly highlights the fatigue that many succumb to while navigating varied application requirements. Don’t be a statistic! Stay focused and use this first step as a demonstration of your dedication and work ethic. Get serious about the positions you want and commit to their applications—whether it takes four minutes or four hours. Remember that quality > quantity and use the following tips to ensure your application is straightforward and fully completed.

Completing forms

Your application may require you to upload your resume and electronically answer questions and complete required fields about history and experience. Though this can feel redundant, ensure that each question and field is answered to the best of your ability—never write “see resume.” Don’t rely on copying and pasting your resume information; tailor your responses to the specific question and employer.

Uploading documents

Save all Word documents for submission as a PDF to ensure the formatting will not change when opened by the employer.

Preparing your resume

Before submitting your resume, give it one last spell check and ensure the document name is clear and professional – your full name works well.

Don’t forget to include your cover letter

This may be an optional application field, but attaching a cover letter is a non-negotiable to set yourself apart from the sea of applicants. Don’t see a place to attach your cover letter? Ensure it matches your resume’s formatting, and attach them together.

Crafting a Standout Cover Letter

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							Ugh. The dreaded cover letter. Does it really get read? Shouldn’t my resume speak for itself?

Do not allow these thoughts deter you! If you are a serious job searcher (and we know you are), do not neglect this must-have step. Likely, there are going to be MANY resumes coming across your future employer’s desk. You have to get noticed and a killer cover letter is non-negotiable. Ready to set your application a notch above the rest? Get started with these seven easy tips:
1. Do your research
Well-written cover letters effectively introduce the applicant and highlight resume elements that most closely match the specific job description and company values. So before you start writing, do your research and remember—this is about them! Be prepared to address the recipient by name (‘to whom it may concern’ is not acceptable) and describe how your employment will specifically benefit their organization.
2. Invoke your inner storyteller
Cover letters are exactly that—a letter. This is your chance to get personal with prospective employers and tell your story as it relates to them—meaning each letter should be tailored to the job and follow a narrative structure.						

Pro tip: before you start writing your personal letter, create an outline.

							3. Be enthusiastic
Be your own advocate and cheerleader. You’re confident, qualified and the best candidate for the job. Your written voice and tone must communicate this!
4. Don’t forget the hook
The person reviewing your cover letter and resume doesn’t automatically owe you a call back. Why should they want to get to know you through an interview? Use your introduction to hook them right away.
5. Connect the dots
Expand upon your unique experiences as it relates to the role—do not simply copy and paste your resume. Provide direct examples of your experience managing tasks similar to the role responsibilities—letting them know just how you will succeed if hired. If you don’t have much workplace experience, you can also cite responsibilities you’ve held in organizations, clubs and during internships.
6. Close with confidence
Let the employer know that you’re looking forward to speaking with them further about the specific ways you will use your skillset to make contributions to the organization. Make sure to thank them for their time and consideration.
7. Hit submit
Walk away for a bit before conducting your final review. We guarantee you’ll find at least one thing to improve with a fresh set of eyes. The last step? Always save as a PDF with a professional file name.						

Six Things You Should Do Before Starting Your Job Search

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Ready to start dominating your job search? First, make sure your basics are covered! Complete these six simple steps before rolling up your sleeves and diving into those applications.

1. Create a professional email address

An email like ‘gummibearz@gmail.com’ might have been cool when you were younger, but now’s the time to ~~give your email address a glow-up~~. Create an account with a more direct and formal address. Ensure the address is concise and clearly states your first and last name.

2. Set up an email signature

Add a polished look to your professional emails while also ~~ensuring your contact information is readily available~~ to employers by adding a signature. Include your full name, phone number, email address and link to your online portfolio or LinkedIn account.

3. Update your voicemail greeting

When’s the last time you recorded a new voicemail greeting? Still thinking? ~~Probably time to update~~. Use this template:

You’ve reached first name, last name—I’m not available at the moment but please leave a brief message and I will get back to you as soon as possible. Thank you.

4. Audit your online presence

It’s estimated that ~~70% of employers screen job candidates’ social media~~ during the interview process… so it’s time to review as if you are your future employer. As a young professional any pictures of partying, posts with foul language or sensitive personal information should be hidden or deleted.

5. Come up with a game plan

Set basic goals and benchmarks for your job search to avoid getting overwhelmed. What job titles or industries are you most interested in? Are you open to relocation? Determining this criterion early on will save you time and effort. Once established, ~~set a weekly goal for application submissions~~ to help you stay motivated.

6. Prep your paperwork

It may help to peruse examples of resume and cover letters online to find a format you like. Once you’ve written your best resume, ask a trusted mentor or friend to serve as a fresh set of eyes. Ensure your file name is professional – your name and the position title work well. After saving to PDF format and reviewing onscreen, print to ensure all formatting is precise. ~~77% of employers will immediately screen out a resume with typos~~ or bad grammar—so review, review and then review again.

Writing Your Best Resume

Reading Time 3 minutes

Staring at a blank sheet of paper…wishing your perfect resume would magically appear? Procrastinate no longer-we’ve got you covered! Use the best practices below, and your professional resume will begin to take shape. After your first attempt, step away and then re-review. Send to a trusted colleague and/or mentor for feedback as well.

Lead with a professional objective or summary of qualifications

Include GPA (if above 3.0/4.0) and college honors

Detail relevant college experiences as if it were a job

Include both technical and interpersonal skills

Highlight extracurricular awards and accomplishments

So you have a solid resume foundation but how does it all come together?

Use this recent graduate resume as a guide. Have you covered everything?

Now that you have the content covered, be sure to clean it up with some formatting. Keep the design simple. Use bold, underlines, italics, and supplemental lines to highlight key details or to break up the page. The text should be easy to read (10-14pt classic fonts). Print a sample before finishing and review your work a few more times. Be sure your document is saved properly before submitting for a job application.

Developing Your Professional Network

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							We know personal relationships with friends and family are of utmost importance, but are you underestimating the power of your professional relationships? What are you doing to cultivate and maintain them? It turns out that in the professional world, having connections certainly does help in more ways than one. Developing and maintaining a healthy professional network can effectively:
Enhance your interpersonal skills
Help you gain essential industry knowledge
Provide various avenues of career support and advice
Lead to future job or professional development opportunities
Foster relationships that may be beneficial to your career

Believe it or not, you might make a friend or two! Whether you’re a recent grad, young professional or current student, you can foster your network by following these actionable steps:
Use LinkedIn (like, really use it!)
Simply adding folks isn’t enough; actively engaging with new connections is key to nurturing authentic professional relationships online. Read an interesting article related to your field? Share it! Interested in learning new opinions and points of view related to certain subject? Ask away! Your connections will be impressed with your genuine enthusiasm and willingness to get out of your comfort zone and will likely join the conversation.
Scan your inner circle for opportunities—then expand.
Start building your professional network by utilizing your personal circle first! Friends and family, old classmates and coworkers—make an effort to become acquainted with their interests and goals and establish a friendly rapport, no matter their professional field.

Once you have a relationship established, don’t hesitate to ask for introductions. Former supervisors, professors and counselors are amazing connections post-graduation as well; keep the lines of communication open as you progress in your education and begin your career!						

							Get in the mix.
If you still live on campus, you have a professional networking resource right at your fingertips—your career services center! Even if you have already graduated, it is a fantastic avenue to discover networking events, career fairs, mentors and job openings.
Give more than you take.
Ever know someone that demands your time and attention, but doesn’t seem to reciprocate? Or perhaps someone that only pops up out of the blue when they need something? Don’t be that person in the professional world.

Relationships are two-sided, so offer support, listen more than you talk and always stay in touch. This will come in handy when you actually do ask for something – like a reference or resume review.						

Your Job Search: Strategies for Success

Be confident

Reflect on what fuels you

Maximize available resources

Don’t delay the inevitable

Polish more than just your resume

Network, network, network!

Get organized

Focus on YOU

How to Prepare for an Interview

Remember planning > cramming

Set your timeline

Up to two weeks before:

The day before:

The day of:

You Received a Job Offer … Now What?

First things first…

What about negotiating?

If it’s the job for you…

If you’ve decided to decline the offer…

Questions to Ask During Job Interviews

After an Interview: Follow Up Best Practices

Conquering Job Applications

Completing forms

Uploading documents

Preparing your resume

Don’t forget to include your cover letter

Crafting a Standout Cover Letter

1. Do your research

2. Invoke your inner storyteller

3. Be enthusiastic

4. Don’t forget the hook

5. Connect the dots

6. Close with confidence

7. Hit submit

Six Things You Should Do Before Starting Your Job Search

1. Create a professional email address

2. Set up an email signature

3. Update your voicemail greeting

4. Audit your online presence

5. Come up with a game plan

6. Prep your paperwork

Writing Your Best Resume

So you have a solid resume foundation but how does it all come together?

Developing Your Professional Network

Use LinkedIn (like, really use it!)

Scan your inner circle for opportunities—then expand.

Get in the mix.

Give more than you take.

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