Making the most of your job-hunting period
For the first-time job hunter the period between finishing your studies and the day you receive that much anticipated job offer can be a lengthy and anxious one. But it’s important not to lose heart.
It can be difficult to get your foot in the door. These days many industries are increasingly competitive, and the job-hunting period can be difficult and long. It may take a considerable length of time and multiple rejections before you find your first job.
It’s important to stay positive. There are a few useful and important things to bear in mind that may help you maximise your job-hunting success, minimise stress, and make the job-hunting period as positive as possible.
A few tips for staying positive
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Remember, you’re not alone. You may feel like you’re the only one suffering the trials of the job hunt but
you’re not, there are many others in the same boat as you—just ask your friends!
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Don't take it personally. A job rejection is likely to be much more about experience levels and matching
skills than it is about you as a person.
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Try to look at the bigger picture. This will probably be the hardest job-hunting period you will ever face.
Once you have that all-important first job it will be a lot easier securing subsequent positions.
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Keep in contact with fellow students in the same boat. Go for coffee, remind yourselves that you’re not
alone, and encourage each other. It’s amazing just how useful this can be in maintaining morale and
helping you stay focused.
How to stay productive and on top of the game
Work experience
New graduates often come up against a bewildering catch-22: you need experience before many employers will consider you, yet you need a job in order to get that experience. Work experience, whether it is paid or unpaid, can be a crucial first-step to securing a position in the industry of your choice. Read more about work experience here
.
Networking
Access the hidden job market by meeting and talking to people in your industry - remember that many jobs are filled before they are advertised, so networking is the perfect way to stay in the loop. Keep in contact with your former teachers and lecturers. They are often a great resource and may have useful industry contacts and links to the sorts of jobs you’re after. Let them know that you’re looking for work and where your particular goals and interests lie. Attend careers fairs and industry events and introduce yourself to everyone and anyone. Even if nothing comes of it immediately, if you make a good impression they may remember you the next time a job opens up. Stay in contact with other recent graduates. Like your former teachers, they too may act as an important resource and potential link to job opportunities.
Know your media
If you're job-hunting online and in the news media, it's important that you are using your time effectively. Think about using email or SMS alerts on job websites, and use keyword searches to get the best results. Get to know sections of the newspaper. For instance, The Australian
newspaper advertises media and communications jobs in its media section every Thursday.
Develop your resume
Get someone experienced to check your resume and give you feedback to help improve it. Remember your resume is your ticket to an interview, and even a good resume can be improved with some help from a trained eye. Read these resume tips
for some inspiration.
Practice your interview skills
Ask someone experienced to run you through a practice interview. This will help you develop your interview and communication skills, give you experience dealing with those inevitable tricky questions, and most importantly, build your confidence. Read this article
for advice on interview techniques.
Good luck!