When you are a college student, you have hope for the future. You head to your classes with stars in your eyes and plans for the future to be a good one, and you don't imagine that you’ll be without work when college is done because you’ve just spent three years learning and getting a degree to enable you to get a great job. The exhaustion of being a student isn't the same as the exhaustion of being an employee, and finding a job is like learning how to drive. Everyone is going to have an opinion on how best to do it, but the most important thing here is that you do get a job.
The level of unemployment is going to make finding a job difficult, and that’s something to be aware of, but to find entry level marketing jobs once you come out of school needs to be learned. Below, we’ve got a few of the tips that you need to get your dream job right out of college - and if not your dream job, at least a foot on the bottom rung of the ladder to your dream industry! Let’s take a look!
Get yourself accounts on numerous graduate job sites. You can scour the newspapers all you want, but you need to try out some graduate-focused websites first. You need to ensure that you are on the sites that the recruiters are crawling all over. You should note that you want to be visible here, so it pays to ensure that you have the right profile working for you.
Speak to a resume writing company. If you have no idea how to write a resume that will make you stand out, then you need to speak to an expert who is going to do it for you. You need your resume to make sense, and it won’t make any sense if you haven’t done it before. There’s nothing wrong with asking for help. You might want to go a little bit above and beyond, too, with a video of you introducing yourself to a potential employer.
Head to a career office. Your college is going to have a careers office and you need to head there before you graduate. This is going to be one of the best things that you can do for yourself, as they will work with you on mock interviews, teach you how to network and ensure that you know how to introduce yourself from the get-go!
Get yourself on an internship! If you want an entry-level job in marketing, you need to get an internship at a marketing company. You don't have to accept a permanent position at that specific company, but you will have a foot in the door and get to know people who can recommend you the right people to apply to.
Build a LinkedIn profile. There are so many employers on LinkedIn, and if you don't have a profile, you won’t be able to talk about yourself. Your social media isn't just for fun like Facebook; it’s LinkedIn - the business version of Facebook! You need to experiment with keywords and get your profile up and under the noses of the best out there.
Network. Get to know your professors and use your semesters to build networks in the field in which you’re most interested. Don't worry too much about downtime right now - this is your time to shine. When you encounter an interesting person, ask their advice and get their encouragement to be excellent at what you do. So many people out there are just waiting to tell you everything that they know about what they do. It makes them look good as a mentor, and you get the help that you need.
Build up that contact list. It’s so important that you keep a list of people that have helped you throughout college. They are the people you will go to for advice and these are the people you would want to invite to an event. If you find a job one day, you can keep in touch. These are your allies and they’re there to help you out!
Put your skills on show. Employers will need to know what you can and cannot do, and you will likely have less experience on your resume when you’re a fresh graduate. However, that doesn't mean that you don't have skills. You need to put yourself out there and show off your work ethic and how you plan to offer more to a business. If you’re not sure how to do that, it’s exactly why you need to be out there and getting help!
Always stay true to yourself. Just because you’re a new graduate, it doesn't mean that you can’t be in a job that you love. If you find yourself in a situation where you don't feel comfortable, don't just lie down and take it. You need to keep respecting yourself and that means keeping that self-esteem of yours. Always be strong enough to walk away from a situation where you feel bullied or underappreciated.
Keep considering the employer. This job isn't just a job. You can have fifty interviews and get offered just one job, but this is more than that. You are interviewing employers as much as they’re interviewing you, and companies are going to be talking among themselves about you, too. Ask as many clarifying questions as possible about the working environment and the expectations of you. You are choosing this job for your future, and you need it to be right.
Getting a dream job directly out of college isn't easy for anyone, but if you’re going to get a job, you want it to be at least in the right industry. Ask your questions and get as much information as possible so that you can make the best possible choice for your future. Your college dreams are going to be cemented with the right job. Start now and be a winner.
