Career Tips: How To Get The Job You Want

There are some great career tips out there that just about everyone can benefit from, if only they had the information. Getting the job that you want doesn’t have to be difficult; you just need to know how to get noticed, what you can do to better your chances of being offered the job you want, and how to advance quickly.

The attitude with which you start your career often dictates how successful you’ll be, so start out with the best attitude and first impressions possible to really catapult you to the place that you want to be. With just a few career tips you can be on your way to that corner office, that six figure income, or your dream job in very little time.

· Education is key. College is a big deal for most of us that get through, but make sure you continue to take your education seriously for the duration of your college experience. This isn’t to say that you shouldn’t have fun, but you should get everything you can from your education. Not only will a great GPA look good on a resume, it’ll mean that you have a better education to apply to your career. You should think of your education as a foundation to your career, you can either lay a very solid and stable foundation with good grades and great attendance, or you can lay a shaky foundation that will eventually crumble or just not live up to expectations.

· Internships are a good idea. While you might feel stressed out while in graduate school just going to class and getting work done, you should think about an internship. An internship may mean more stress right now, but it can really open up doors for you when you graduate and want to jump-start your career. An internship shows potential employers that you have the motivation to get the job done, because they know how difficult it is to hold down classes, grades, and an internship. Internships often lead to permanent positions as well; so don’t downplay the importance of them. An internship will also give you relevant experience, if you do not already have it, which can be instrumental in getting you a well-paid job.

· Consider a part time job during school. Again, this can add more stress to your life, but it looks good on a resume. If you aren’t able to find any internship programs that apply to your field of interest, a part time job is the next best thing. If you are going to law school, apply to be an office helper, receptionist, or legal aide in a law office in your area. If you let the part time employer know that you will be balancing the job with school, they are usually understanding and more than willing to help you establish experience that will help you get a job when you graduate. Like internships, part time jobs often lead to permanent positions when you graduate, which can be an important stepping stone into the real world.

· Start looking for jobs before graduation. This is important, yet it’s something so many students do not do. You don’t want to wait until you have to start paying for those student loans to start looking for a job. Instead, you need to start looking three to six months before graduation for something that you think will be a great fit. Many employers will start employing you immediately, limiting your responsibilities and pay until you graduate and can dedicate all of your time to your job. If nothing else, this time will give you the opportunity to establish business contacts and become comfortable interviewing so you aren’t stressing about how you’ll pay your bills when you’re done with school.

· Writing a good resume is important. Many people who are new to the workforce downplay the importance of a well-written resume, but it’s something that should not be overlooked. Your resume is generally the first impression that a prospective employer will have of you, so you want it to stand out in its format, presentation, and well written style. If you aren’t sure how to write a great resume, you should consider purchasing or borrowing books from your bookstore or library to help guide you in the process. If you believe that you need some help, you can generally hire a resume writer that will deliver a high quality resume in just a couple days for right around $50. Your resume needs to be something that you really put a lot of thought into and needs to encapsulate all of your best qualities to land you an interview.

· Work on interview skills. Think about stories you can relate to a prospective employer about your biggest successes as well as why you think you would be a good fit for the position. Having these answers in your head will help make the interview process easier, and will impress potential employers.

· Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Don’t apply for just one or two jobs, and don’t settle for something that is less than what you are capable of unless you are offered the chance to move up after a training period. Apply to many companies so that you can compare offers and choose the job that is best for you.

Send your resume out to companies hiring and post your resume on employment websites to increase your chances of success. Don’t assume that just posting your resume will be enough; you need to actively pursue employment. Persistent candidates are often those that get the jobs!

These career tips may seem like common sense, but so many people don’t do these things and it makes the job search and career start so much more difficult. If you do these things you’ll find that you can get your career off to a great start, not wasting any time! Take control of your career and consider implanting these tips now!