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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

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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?

 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.

This site includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. AgriNovus Indiana has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.

In addition to O’Net, AgriNovus Indiana gathered information from several resources. If you would like more information about the data on this site, please contact us at fieldatlas@agrinovusindiana.com.

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