After a full year of searching for my first job after college, there are a few things that I wish someone told me during the process of looking for the right job for me. Here’s a little bit of insight into what my job search has been like, and I hope it provides some honesty into the search you may be experiencing now or you will experience in the future.
People warned me about how tough filling out job applications was for them, but I never thought job searching as a whole would be as emotionally draining as it turned out to be for me. I don’t say that to be dramatic, but when looking for a job, I learned that sometimes you fall in love with a position and organization, and it doesn’t work out. Usually it doesn’t work out because of things out of your control, whether that’s their decision or it’s the timing, but you can’t help but feel like it’s in your control. And when that happens, it hurts. It can really stink to get rejected from a job you thought would be absolutely perfect for you, and it can be tough to apply for jobs when you’re not sure of what you truly want. As a new grad, each part of applying for, interviewing for, and negotiating your first job offer is not only challenging as you start a totally new journey out of school, but it feels like the pressure of the rest of your life is sitting in this decision. Like I said, it’s emotionally draining.
Of course, I can’t speak to everyone’s experience in job searching when I describe it as hard. I know plenty of people who have had things lined up early, seemingly with more ease, for after graduation. But my experience speaks to the person who doesn’t have it all figured out, doesn’t exactly know where he or she wants to be in five years (let alone 20), and can be scared about knowing which step is the “right” one to take next.
I had a bit of a different mindset, I think, when going into my job search. I didn’t narrow it down based on role or position description. I looked around at everything from administrative assistant positions to HR roles and production jobs to marketing roles. I wasn’t limiting myself to a position title, but more so was looking at the experience I could gain from the position. This could be stressful and made me feel overwhelmed at times because of the variety in what I was looking for. At one point, I thought, “I have diverse experiences that could translate into many different roles. I don’t know exactly what I want to do at this point, but I’m not going to know what I do or don’t like until I do something.” I felt lost and wanted just one job interview or application to be fruitful at the time.
I also never said “no” to an interview (which I highly advise to anyone looking for a job to do) because it’s always at least worth the practice. I ended up traveling and learning new things about industries I never thought I would, and for that experience, I’m grateful. My job search ended up taking me on a journey where I had to book my flight for interview the morning in which I had to be in the city for the interview. Saying “yes” in my search to things I didn’t know a lot about actually taught me that it’s great to say “yes” to other things in various parts of my life. Turns out, that job interview that I was offered on a whim a couple of days prior to the actual interview is the job offer that I’d accept a month later. If I didn’t take a chance on that trip and the company didn’t take a chance on me last-minute, who knows where I’d be next?
My experience in the job search taught me a lot about myself, but also how to do “job searching” well. In effort to help other people through that process, here are some tips on what to do as you look for your first (or second or third) job.
1) Be patient.
Waiting can be immensely challenging, but I do have to say that the wait for finding and accepting the right job for you will absolutely be worth it when the time comes. You can wait weeks before you hear back from a company after applying for an internship or position online, and my best piece of advice is to be patient. You are not the #1 priority of the company or organization (as much as we want to be as applicants), and they will reach out to you when you’re ready. However, there is value in reaching out to them, too, which brings us to…
2) Be persistent.
Showing that you’re interested in a company or an organization can be a really good thing. After you apply for a position somewhere, it can show your genuine interest if you call a couple weeks later to understand the timeline of the application process. If you haven’t heard from a recruiter or hiring manager for many weeks or longer, it doesn’t hurt to send the person an email following-up on the application process or to see what the status of your application is. Don’t go overboard, though. Show your interest, but don’t bombard the HR representative. There are lots of people applying for one position, so keep that in mind.
3) Edit your resume for every job you apply for.
Your resume will not look the same for an HR job as it will for a sales job, and more so, jobs in the same realm have different descriptions based on the company or organization. You need to sell yourself to an organization or company based on the position they have available, their mission & vision, and what you can bring to the table. Use keywords from the job description to sell your experiences to show them that you can do the job well. Make sure that your resume doesn’t throw off online Application Tracking Systems with your punctuation or designs. (Check out this webinar by AgCareers.com for more details on that.) Using keywords in your resume that are on the job description will help you advance in the process. Watch out for preferred formats (PDF or .docx, etc.) the company wants the resume in. Don’t get lazy. Save them with different names on your computer if you have to. This pays off, I promise.
4) Send thank-you notes after your interview(s).
I’ve always been a firm believer in the power of a written thank-you note. A lot of people think sending an email is good enough, but a written thank-you goes a long way. I personally recommend sending an email to the people you interviewed with (individually) within 24 hours of the interview, and sending a thank-you note in the mail as quickly as you can. Interviewers hold onto those notes for a long time, and they show your sincere interest in the position and appreciation for their time and consideration.
5) Always be kind.
If there’s anything that was evident to me throughout my job search, it’s that people know people. It’s a small world out there, so not only is your kindness important for you in your current job application process, but it’s vital for your personal brand down the road. Handle yourself with poise and grace, especially when rejected from a position or turning down an offer. It seriously matters.
6) Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
Asking a friend or a mentor to look over your resume or cover letter can be incredibly useful. Getting feedback can not only help you do better in the application process, but it can help you learn things that you never thought you needed to know. They also can connect you to people in the organization or company to help you get your foot in the door.
My job search and decision were two of the hardest things I’ve been through, but I’m positive that what I’ve learned from these experiences will make me better as an employee and person down the road. My decision came down to what is best for me in the long run and the experience that can get me to where I want to be at the end of my professional career. It wasn’t easy for me to make such a huge decision for many reasons, but I know I’ll be grateful for the choice I made down the road.
Hopefully at least one of these tips provides some encouragement or help to you as you look for a job. Believe in yourself and what you’re capable of. Apply for jobs you are genuinely interested in, be open to new opportunities, know that anything is possible if you work hard enough, and let the job search process take you for a ride. You never know where you can end up or what you’ll learn.
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