Trying to look for a job as a college student is madness. Your day is already inundated with classes, friends, internships, part-time jobs, and activities. Adding a job search — which many experts recommend treating like a full-time job by itself — can feel overwhelming.
Implementing job search strategies can help you improve the efficiency of your job searches, allowing you to make the most out of the time you have. Today, we’ll outline our top job search strategies for college students. By adding these strategies into your repertoire, you can master the job hunt process without losing track of yourself in the process.
Narrow Your Focus
The first step to a good job hunt is to know what you’re looking for.
This involves more than just knowing the industry you’re trying to enter. Brainstorm a list of non-negotiables in your job hunt. This may include:
- Your expected salary range
- The location(s) you’re willing to work in
- The industry and job titles you’d prefer
- The type of work environment you’d be most comfortable in
Writing down your expectations prevents you from wasting time applying to jobs you aren’t actually interested in. It also keeps you hyper-focused on what you do want, which can help the right jobs stand out to you on job boards and searches.
Use Your School’s Resources
One of the best parts of being a job seeker as a college student is that you have myriad resources at your fingertips.
Start by talking to your professors about your career goals. Some professors — especially those you’ve built a rapport with over the years — may have ideas about people hiring in the industry or how to get into your chosen field. Professors may also offer networking opportunities for their students, or be willing to provide letters of recommendation that you can include in your job applications.
Your school’s career center is another great resource to use during your job search. Career centers may offer networking opportunities, mock interviews, or resume reviews to their students. They may also have a beat on local job opportunities worth applying to.
Update Application Materials
Your application materials are your opportunity to put your best foot forward. Update your resume — or create it for the first time, if you’ve never needed a resume before — and make sure to use the active voice rather than the passive voice. Highlight job skills that will be most relevant to the career path you’re looking to embark on.
Remember that in the modern world, your resume and cover letters aren’t the only materials interviewers will look at. Update your LinkedIn profile and set your social media profiles to private — or ensure they present a version of yourself you’re comfortable with future employers seeing.
Pathrise can help you update your application materials to best showcase your expertise. By working one-on-one with a mentor in your field, you can get a handle on what hiring managers will be looking for from job seekers like you.
Continue Living Your Life
Looking for the perfect job can take over your life if you’re not careful. Becoming hyper-fixated on the job search can lead to frustration and burnout, especially if the job hunt process takes longer than anticipated. That’s why one of our top job search strategies is this: continue living your life.
This doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t take your job hunt seriously. In fact, we recommend scheduling dedicated times for your job search, and applying for 2-3 jobs each day (or 10-15 jobs each week).
But when you’re not actively searching for a job, enjoy the activities and events that you enjoyed before. Spend time with your friends, keep in touch with your family, and continue studying and attending classes. The last thing you need is for your grades to plummet in your last semester because you were so focused on the next step in your journey.
Implement Job Search Strategies and Land Your Dream Job with Pathrise
It can take time to land your dream job. That’s why it’s important not to delay the job hunt process. Implementing job search strategies can keep you from being paralyzed with indecision. When you have your application materials in order and know what you’re looking for in a job, it becomes much easier to find jobs to apply for.
Pathrise can help you make the most out of your job hunt. Designed for career success, our online program provides one-on-one mentorship, training, and advice for tech professionals. By working with industry leaders, you can determine the best strategies for getting hired in your chosen field, land more interviews, and ace the interviewing process. Apply today to get started with Pathrise.
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