After four years of hard work, it has finally paid off – you graduated! But wait, now what? You are about to face your hardest test yet: making it in the real world. Whether you had a chance to get a taste of the working world with an internship while in school or not, the reality of jumping in can make you feel uneasy, and that is totally normal.
The job market has been increasingly better over the past couple of years. According to a recent article by Marketplace Economy, the hiring of college grads is up 16 percent from last year. So let’s get started! To save time, effort and sanity in your job search, it’s good to start with a plan – how are you going to set yourself up for a winning career? Start with these easy tips:
#1 – Update your resume and have it ready to go. Think of your resume as marketing collateral – a single piece of paper that you can use to advertise and sell yourself. You have less than a minute to capture the attention of the person reading it, so use clear sentences that get to point and highlight what you have to offer. Big tip: find a way to support your skills and accomplishments with numbers – this helps people understand right away how much of an impact you’ve made.
#2 – Networking! Go to on-campus job fairs, connect with alumni, keep a close eye on company websites and make solid connections on LinkedIn. After every interview, connect with people who met with you and stay in-touch to see if there are any new-hire events that the company hosts. There are plenty of meet-up groups (especially in Atlanta) for young professionals through organizations like the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG), Women in Technology (WIT), and plenty of other industry-specific groups. Attend as many events and connect with as many people as you can – you never know who you are going to meet
#3 – Create a personal plan. Spend some honest time thinking about yourself and your realistic goals. Ask yourself: what do you enjoy doing? What will make you feel a sense of happiness and accomplishment? What kind of work environment will set you up to thrive? What are you good at? What are your life goals (thinking big picture)? Where do you want to live and how far would you be willing to commute? These are just a few questions to consider when getting your plan into place!
For more information or to get started on your career fresh out of college, contact Agile today – Our recruiting team is some of the best in the business and we are here to help! And good luck out there – you can do this!