5 Simple Career Tips for Fresh Graduates

Graduation is one of the most memorable moments in our lives. We’d all be like; “finally, I’m through with my studies!” Yes, you may be done with your studies but you have barely started a new journey – a real journey through life. College was merely a preparation for the real life.

Post-graduation can be a mix of excitement and agitation. It is when you realize that there are still way too many things you have to do to really prepare yourself in choosing your career path. You are somewhat excited to take on the challenge and at the same time worried that you might not be good enough to get the job. Been there, I know exactly how it feels like, so here are some simple and effective career tips for fresh graduates that I would like to share:

1. Looking for the right job

First on the list would be looking for the right job that will fit to your qualifications and potentials. Start looking for job openings before graduation. Your best tool for job hunting would be a newspaper, a bulletin board at your campus, online job portals (e.g., Jobstreet.com.ph, JobsDb.com and BestJobs.ph), and professional network sites like Linkedin.com. Most people say that it is difficult to look for the right jobs nowadays. I say, they’re looking at the wrong way. If you are searching for something, it would be helpful if you know where to search for it. If you would just give yourself time, you would be able to found the perfect job for you with the use of the tools I have mentioned above.

2. The resume

After you have chosen the job you would like to grab, the next thing you need to do is preparing your résumé. To make your résumé look pleasing to the eyes of prospective employers, just Keep It Short and Simple (K.I.S.S). Interviewers are busy people; they don’t have the whole day to read a lengthy résumé. It should be short and concise; it must contain the important information that is relevant to the job. Never forget to include a professional email address in your resume, which should be sent as early as a month before graduation because most companies don’t respond to applications right away.

3. The interview

After setting the best first impression, the next thing that you need to prepare is the interview. Confidence would be your best weapon when you show up for a job interview. It’s normal to feel nervous but it is one of the things that you must overcome for you to have a better chance in getting the job that you went in there for. First of all, you actually don’t have to be nervous because you wouldn’t be there in the first place if the company doesn’t find you qualified for the job. They just want to evaluate your attitude, enthusiasm and motivation. To have better confidence in meeting your possible employer for the first time, you must of course dress up properly; it does not only add confidence but it also says something about yourself. Make a little research about the company’s background so you would be familiarized with their business. If you still feel a bit unsure about yourself, try to pay a visit to one of those walk-in interviews for a job that you don’t actually want and you would realize that job interviews are not that difficult. It worked for me; hope it would do the same for you as well.

4. Be on time

It would be best if you arrive 30 minutes earlier than the time set for your interview so you would be able to absorb the aura of the working environment and nothing can turn off an interviewer than waiting for a late applicant. You could lose your chance at having your dream job with just being late in a fraction of second.

5. Smile

The last, best and simplest thing to do before an interview is to SMILE. Yes, your smile can give you a confident, calm, and pleasant look that could give a positive impression to your future employer.

Just follow these simple tips, have the right attitudes, and you’ll have the better chance to find the job of your dream. Good luck with your new job! 🙂