Yourfirstjob…thefirststep in thelifelongmanagement of yourcareer.
Findingyourfirstjobisyourfirstjob.
As theeconomyrebounds and theunemploymentrateforcollege—educatedpeoplecontinuestofall, jobs are likelytobecome more plentiful. As demandforqualityemployeesrises, so doesyourvalue. So what'sthebestwaytogoaboutfindingyourdreamfirstjob?
Don'tjustjumpintothesearchblindly. It'sextremelyimportanttotake time outforplanning. Yoursearch may takelongerthanyouthink—and whatworksforsomeoneelse may notworkforyou. Itmakessensetoconsiderusing a number of differentstrategiesbecauseeachone may produce interviews and, eventually, anoffer.
Approachyoursearchforthejobthatstartsyouonthecareerladder as thoughitwere a job. Applythesameworkethic, standards and diligenceyouexpecttoemploy once you'veenteredtheworkforce. Startwithan open mind and makesureyou've done yourhomework.
1. Define yourlifegoals and set yourpriorities.
Be honestwithyourselfregardingthethingsthat are importanttoyou. Seekoutguidancecounselorstotakeadvantage of testinginstrumentsthatmeasureaptitude and interests and helpyouviewyourself in appropriatecareeralternatives.
2. Look at a widevariety of careerpossibilities and industries.
Don'tshyawayfrominvestigating sales positions, forexample. This can be a greatwaytogainentryintoanindustrythatinterestsyou. And remember, thesurestwaytokeepyourcareermoving forward istocontinuallyget training in new technologies and skillsthatbuyyoumobility.
3. Prepare a resume.
Thekeyto resume writingistogivethereader a briefoutline of yourqualifications and educationwithouttellingyourlifestory. Savethedetailsforthe personal interview. Tomakethemost of the 20 secondsor so thataninterviewerwillspendwithyour resume, styleitwithbulletedpoints and easy-to-readtype-twopages, max.
4. Network withfamily, friends, acquaintances and businesscontacts.
Networking can be one of themostimportantsteps in yourcareersearch. Itgenerates a continuoussupply of contacts and helpsyoudiscoverwheretheopenings are. Theaveragenetworking meeting results in threecontacts, and itusuallytakesthreelevels of networkingbeforeyoureach a decision-maker at a target company.
5. Conductinformational interviews withpeopleyouview as successfulin yourprofessionorindustry.
Manypeoplewhowork in yourfieldorindustrywillagreetotalktoyouevenifthereis no jobopening. You can learn a greatdealfromthese interviews—they'rerarely a waste of your time.
6. Compile a target list of companiesthatbestsuityourneeds.
Researchingcompaniesismucheasierifyouhaveaccesstothe Internet sincemostcompanieshave a home page. Don'tforgetthelibrary, too, which has allthe standard businessreferenceworkssuch as Standard and Poor's.
7. Ifpossible, work as anintern in yourfield of interestorconsidertakinginterimassignments.
Interimorcontractworkisgrowingfasterthananyone can track, and interimmanagementfirmshave emerged to expedite theprocess. And often, temporaryassignmentsturninto full-time assignments.
8. Learnhowto interview successfully.
Listen carefullytointerviewers. Be open totheirsequence of questions and don't try to control the interview. Be preparedtoanswernotonlythe inevitable questionsaboutyourstrengths and weaknesses, butbehaviorquestionsthatdemandspecificexamples as well.
There'sprobably no betterwaytoland a goodjobthanto be "found" by a professionalrecruiterconducting a searchonbehalf of a client. Eventhoughthisisnotlikelytohappentotheaverage new graduate, it'snevertooearlytocultivate a friendlyrelationshipwithrecruiterswhospecialize in yourfield.
Althoughsearchfirmsgethundreds of unsolicited resumes everyweek, theadvent of computerized data entry and retrievalallowsforgreatercandidatecredentialretentionthaneverbefore. And ifyou'recareergoalsincludehigh-techfunctionsor industries, your resume may be of immediateinterestto a recruiter.