Applying For The Jobs That You Deserve
So, you’ve finally graduated from college and it’s time to find a job! This is a scary and exciting time, and it can be a bit hard to determine what jobs you should be applying for. Many college graduates actually make the mistake of applying for jobs that they are over qualified for because they are intimidated by the jobs that they actually deserve based on their education.
While you should be very confident after graduation, applying for those jobs that you’ve been dreaming of during your education is a bit scarier than you might have imagined it would be. But, there are some things that you can do to help determine the jobs that you should be applying for and those that are actually beneath you! You didn’t go to college to get a job that you are over qualified for, did you?
The first thing you need to do when applying for jobs after college is remember that you are done! Sometimes, it takes graduates awhile to really have the idea that they have graduated sink in. It sounds odd, but go into applying for jobs with the idea that you are qualified for everything because you have received an awesome education. If you don’t have the attitude and confidence you need, fake it! The whole “fake it until you make it” philosophy really helps with the job application process, because it’ll get you started so that you’ll realize you are worthy of all of the jobs that you want.
The first thing that you’ll want to do to prepare yourself for applying for quality jobs is to decide what you want to do with your education. You probably already know what direction you want to take your career in, and that’ll help. Then, think about whether what you expect your education to do for you in terms of getting a job is realistic. Are there people that you know or can think of that have gotten such a job with your education and experience level? Can you sell yourself to a potential employer who is on the fence about whether you are right for their company? Does your education alone qualify you for the job that you want?
Once you know what you want to do you’ll need to put together a resume that will catch the attention of prospective employers. If you aren’t sure of industry standards or formatting requirements, you should get with a professional that has extensive knowledge and experience about resume writing in your field of interest. Your resume will likely be the first impression that someone has of you, so you want to make sure it’s the very best that it can be. You don’t want to lie or embellish your experience or education, but you want to accentuate all of your education, experience, and achievements. In addition to a well-written and formatted resume you’ll want to write a fabulous cover letter to accompany it. A cover letter can make or break whether or not an employer will turn the page to actually look at your experience, so you might want to get with a professional on that as well. First impressions are everything, and fair or not, your resume and cover letter will be the first impression that an employer has!
Once you’ve written a great resume and cover letter you are ready to start applying for the jobs that you deserve. Great places to look for jobs are through business contacts that you established during school through internships or apprenticeships. Business contacts are a great way to get a job because they usually know that you have a great work ethic, and now that you have finished school they can hire you for a “real” job. If you don’t have any luck with business contacts or you just haven’t heard back from them you should check your local newspaper business listings and you might find that there are some great jobs that you more than deserve in your area. Apply for all that interest you, and remember that you deserve those jobs! If you have a bit of anxiety about applying for many jobs through the newspaper, apply for a few online where you don’t actually have to talk to anyone and you can apply for the jobs you know you deserve without feeling odd about it. Once you’ve gotten the hang of that, apply for great jobs everywhere you can find them! You’ll probably apply for two or three jobs and you’ll find your confidence.
Applying for the jobs that you deserve right out of college can be intimidating, but you just need to find your confidence. You don’t have to take an entry-level job after college; you just have to remember that you really do qualify for more than that. You might not land your ultimate dream job, but you can find something in between so that you can work your way up. If you let your anxiety and worry of lack of experience take over, you won’t get the jobs that you deserve. To get those great jobs that you have been dreaming of during your education you need to apply for them. Don’t just apply for one, apply for many of them, to better your chances of getting a couple offers and being able to choose the one that best fits what you need and want from your job.
When applying for the jobs that you deserve because of your college degree and general ambition, you are your only obstacle. If you know what you are capable of and you have faith in your education to carry you through, you can get the jobs that you want and deserve. When you are applying for jobs remember that you are worth the greatest jobs out there, you just need to apply for them to be noticed by potential employers! Remember to keep your options open so that you’ll have plenty of options to choose from. You might be surprised just how easy it is to land a great job once you find the confidence to start applying for them!
