5 Basic Job Search Tips You're Forgetting

Senior year of college can be the best year of college altogether. It’s the last year on campus, and it should be spent doing fun things with close friends.

You’ve already figured out the game and how to do well, and hopefully you’ve found your niche along the way. All you have to do is keep it up those last two semesters until graduation.

One inevitable thing that comes along with being a senior, though, is the whole job search process. In addition to keeping up with schoolwork and a social calendar, seniors intending to join the workforce following graduation have to be on the lookout for new job opportunities.

Sending out your resume and cover letters to different potential employers can be very stressful, intimidating, daunting and a dread. To lighten your load, here are five simple job search tips that may have slipped your mind.

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1. Be exactly what they’re looking for.

When you’re going through and reading job descriptions on a company’s website or job search engine, pay attention to the specific information given, and language used before you fill out any questionnaires or send any resumes or cover letters. Simply doing this can most likely ensure your resume gets looked at by an actual set of human eyes, as opposed to a computer system.

Notice exactly what the company is looking for in the person that will eventually be hired for the position, and what is required of the position. Notice key words and phrases the company uses in the “job requirements” and “job qualifications” sections of the job description as a whole and use that information to your advantage.

That means including these exact phrases in your cover letter explaining why you would be the best fit for the job above anyone else. It also means altering your resume to fit the position. If you have irrelevant work experience on your resume that could be replaced by other experience you left out of your resume for space issues, alter it.

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2. Get out there.

If you initially used online applications with online job search engines like Indeed or Monster to get yourself started, that’s a great way to get your resume out there. However, you may notice no one ever gets back to you, or nothing ever really happens after you click “submit.”

This is because the virtual world is never-ending. Thousands and thousands of resumes and cover letters get sent through portals on the Internet on a daily basis. This is not the way to get noticed and stand out.

In addition to submitting large numbers of online applications on a regular basis your senior year, you should also consider showing up in person to the company you’d prefer to work at, and talk to a representative. This could be a receptionist, someone in HR or a recruiter. Simply being there in person sets you apart and makes you unique right off the bat.

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3. Make a LinkedIn profile.

You’re all over social media as a college student, obviously. So why not make a LinkedIn account? It’s important to realize just how many employers use this platform as a search engine. It’s easy to use; it includes everything that would be on your resume, but in a format similar to various social media platforms that make it more interesting to read.

Don’t assume having a LinkedIn account is only for older, more experienced and professional “adults.” You’re an adult now, too (almost, for the most part). This form of social media is not only helpful for accomplished individuals who have been in the work force for years, but it can also be useful for recent college grads. Your name and qualifications can get out there for future employers to see.

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4. Follow-up.

One thing recent grads never think of is following-up with an interview after the fact. This simple, quick act is another way to set yourself apart from the rest of the people applying for the same position. All you have to do is send a quick email to whoever interviewed you thanking them for taking the time to speak with you.

You come off polished, polite, considerate and eager about the job. These are all characteristics potential employers look for in future employees; the earlier you show these off, the more luck you might find in your job search.

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5. Get out of your comfort zone.

During your job search process, make your best effort to stand out. This means not being boring. You of course want to come off as polished and professional, but don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone by being personable and unique.

Always be yourself, but with some oomph. You want to be remembered, and being cookie-cutter is not the way to accomplish that.