I know that when I started looking for jobs in college I looked for just about any place that was offering a job. The worst part about it was looking for something within my Degree (BSBA in Business Management). Obviously trying to find a “management” job was out of the question unless it would be lower-level.

Target your Ideal Job

The best advice that I can even begin to give to Juniors and Seniors looking for a permanent job is to target the type of job that you want not just what you pre-qualify yourself for. Just because you got a History degree doesn’t mean you have to become a historian, you can also work wherever you want.

Use your School’s Reputation

One thing that the school is going to push is using the name. I went to Xavier University and they said it has great pull all over the country. Even better, I was in the Williams College of Business which had pull with P&G. Guess what…I’m not at P&G. However, there are ties with all sorts of alumni because people hire people. Networking is the best way to find a job. You can do it through many means, your school, LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter.

You need to make sure you are yourself, and professional.

Send our your Resume

Develop and design your résumé to fit your personality. Don’t have it be so rigid or use the built-in Mac/Microsoft templates. Customize it to an extent, while still having a professional feel to it. Personalized touches could differentiate you from your competition, however, it could also turn off certain people if they typically see a particular format. Make sure you exercise caution!

Also plan on using resume paper instead of plain printer paper. Again, subtle touches could differentiate  you from someone else.

The Interview

This is the toughest part of the job hunt since many things going on. In a phone interview the best thing to do is sit down with your résumé, paper and pen and relax. There’s no need for nerves. Make sure that you are ready to answer and ASK questions.

Do well here and you’re on your way to a face to face interview.

Dress for the Job you Want; Not the one you have

Every business has a dress code policy. Make sure that you are familiar with that before you pick out your attire for the interview! However, there are a few simple rules to follow:

  • If you want to become a lawyer, put on your best suit. A polo and slacks should suffice for a coaching interview. There’s no need to over dress when going in for that interview, but make sure that you portray the positive person you are. You need to show a sense of realism and confidence, and knowing who you are and what you want to do definitely helps!
  • Groom! Brush your teeth, comb or cut your hair, and make sure your hair looks appropriate (heading to an interview like you just got out of bed is not something you want to do).
  • Differentiate yourself from the crowd! You don’t want to wear the same Black Suit, White Shirt, Red Tie that everyone wears. Feel free to venture out (I interviewed with a Purple Shirt and Tie once; that Bank was not amused, others loved it)
  • Don’t be afraid to talk highly of yourself. You have to let the person get to know you, good and bad! However, if saying something about a bad thing that happened make sure to say what you took away from the experience. (Ex: I started developing this website and it didn’t take off like I thought. However, I learned that proper strategic planning and advertising pays off.)
  • Finally, be yourself! People hire people you don’t need to throw out every marketing buzzword but make sure you are giving an accurate description of who you are and what you know!

If you see anything that I missed or you want to add something please feel free to add it via a comment below.