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How do I prepare to get a job after college?

What are some good jobs after college, and how to apply for some?

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Briana’s Answer

Hi! Since I'm not sure what your college major is, I can only offer more generalized advice here.
When looking for a job after college, it's important to take an inventory of what your priorities are. What does a "good job" mean to you? Is it one that pays a certain amount per year? Flexible hours? Opportunities to ladder climb? A consistent schedule? One that aligns with your values? That offers training? One that helps people? One that allows you to work independently without having to work with people often? Does it have to be directly related to your degree, or can it be unrelated? You need to answer these questions in order to narrow down your options.

Many people enter into jobs that have something to do with their undergraduate degree, but many do not. A degree often gives people a good base of information going into certain jobs, and you should structure your resume around the general skills you've obtained from this degree. It's a good idea to speak to a career counselor at your school to help you pinpoint a career that interests you as well. They can help with building your resume and other important pieces to the job search.

Briana recommends the following next steps:

Speak with a career counselor
Start creating your resume
Research jobs in your desired location with Linkedin and Indeed websites
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Chirayu’s Answer

Hello Lens. To prepare for getting a job after college, you can follow these steps - Update your resume and LinkedIn profile to reflect your skills, experiences, and education Network with alumni, professors, and professionals in your field of interest Gain relevant experience through internships, part-time jobs, or volunteer work Brush up on job search skills, such as interview preparation and negotiation. To apply for jobs- Research companies and job openings in your field of interest. Tailor your resume and cover letter for each job application. Submit your application through the company's website or job board. Prepare for interviews by researching the company and practicing common interview questions. Follow up with the hiring manager to express your continued interest in the role.
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Layne’s Answer

Hi Lens. A "good job" is such a broad term and is very different to so many people. I would encourage you to think what you picture yourself doing in the future and then back track what it would take to get there. What are your interests? Did any college courses really stand out to you that you enjoyed? Do you want to do hands on work or are you more of a person who enjoys coding and interacting with clients or colleagues on a day to day? Once you have found what you enjoy and want to pursue I'd encourage you to visit career services and talk to them about what roles might be in the workforce that align with your goals and interest. I'd recommend attending job fairs and connecting with company representatives and seeking relevant internships so you can gain real life work experience. You can also talk to people who you know personally about what they do. You'd be surprised that some people you come across on a day to day have really cool jobs. Maybe even ask to job shadow someone in the field of work you're interested in. You never know there may be so many more jobs out there you never even knew existed.
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Frances’s Answer

The main thing is networking and having good connections. I was able to land an interview for my first job without even applying for the job. You might ask me, “how did this happen?” Well, I was able to get the job through one of my professors. Since I excelled in her class and participated in extracurricular activities related to my major, she saw my potential in the engineering field and recommended me to a local engineering firm that was hiring at the time. Luckily, she already had good connections with this company. From that, I was able to land an internship throughout my senior year which eventually led to a full-time position after graduation. My advice to you is to try and stand out amongst your peers while also continuing to network and meet professionals in your field. Don’t be afraid to talk to your professors either if you need assistance in job hunting. It worked for me!
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Laney’s Answer, CareerVillage.org Team

Hi Lens! This is a great question. I think one of the best things you can do while in college is simply exploring as many of your career interests as possible. One way to do this is to look for internships in whatever field(s) spark your interest. Internships are a great way to get hands-on experience and build your resume. Even if you decide the field you took an internship in is not for you, you will still learn a lot from the experience (your strengths, weaknesses, likes, and dislikes). Further, they provide concrete examples for you to speak to when you begin interviewing for a full-time job (and potentially references if you make strong relationships with your boss / mentors and keep in touch with them). There is a lot of power in learning what you do not want to do, so I encourage you to explore all of your interests while you have the freedom to in school.

One way to pursue internships is job boards (linkedin, indeed), but another great way I found success in was by googling companies I was interested in and just emailing whoever's contact I could find on their website asking if they are looking for interns. This seemed to work especially well in reaching smaller businesses. Further, reaching out to people on LinkedIn who work for companies or in positions you are interested in is a great way to set up informational interviews to learn more about jobs and careers you may want to pursue. It is always nice to use your high school or college alumni network in looking for people to reach out to because you have an instant thing in common (they are more likely to respond to your message if you let them know you both went to "X" college or "X" high school).

A good job after college is truly any job you are excited and passionate about! There are no good or bad jobs, so long as you are happy and excited about what you are doing. This is why career exploration in college is very important. It will help you figure out what you like all the quicker. Then, you can be more specific in your job search. When applying for jobs, do your best to research the company as thoroughly as possible so when an interview comes along, you are able to give them personal and detailed answers. Companies are always impressed when you speak specifically about the work they are doing. Good luck Lens, I am confident you will do great things and find a job after college you are passionate about!
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Elizabeth’s Answer

Your college might have job opportunity posted or even other colleges that can be public. LinkedIn also provides job posting. If there is a company of choice visit their website or even call, there HR to see how best to apply for a position or if there is any volunteer opportunity etc. to gain experience.
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Rebecca’s Answer

Thank you for your question. Many students have the same question.
Below are my suggestions:
1. Do some research on the job requirements before you graduate, eg you can find it job advertisements
2. Analyse the requirements and find out what you may need to some improvement. Attend relevant courses if necessary
3. Explore any internship opportunities
4. Some corporates may run graduate programmes. Keep an eye in college career office
5. After graduation, you can look for job opportunities on some job searching website, eg LinkedIn, etc. Jon recruitment agencies and corporate career portal, etc
6. If there is any corporate you have specific interests, you can send your cv with an cover email to the HR department
Hope this helps! Good Luck!
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Brandon’s Answer

Awesome question Lens,
As someone who got their job right after college I can give you some advice. I went to school for IT and got an internship from a job fair at my college, so my recommendation is to do just that. Find out when your school is having a job fair, write up a resume and print out as many as you can and bring them with you. Even if you feel like you don't have any technical skills or experience required for any of the positions, it does not hurt to just give your resume and talk to all the recruiters there. If you have never done a resume, definitely reach out to family, friends or even college faculty that can help you create one. Networking and putting your name out there is a great way to find whatever position your looking for, and getting an internship or even multiple internships looks great on future resumes for when you apply for your dream job!
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irem’s Answer

I would say start connecting with industry professionals who you would like to see yourself in their position. For example, I would go and search for people who graduated from the same program as you and look at which career paths they chose. Then when I see a position that interests me I would connect with that person and hear their perspective. Once you start hearing what those people did to get where they are now, you will have a clear idea of what you should do next.
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Ross’s Answer

The goal is to get from the “desk” of resumes to the “notepad” and then to an interview to sell yourself.
You need to separate yourself from the masses by doing as much as you can to get some applicable practical / professional pre experience through shadowing professionals or internships.
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Vamshee’s Answer

Good question Lens, there are the few things i can think of

Speak to career counselor.
Networking with your seniors in college to guide you.
Research the companies offer the jobs in your field, find out the job requirements.
Learn and acquire the skills /knowledge required for the jobs in your filed.
Do projects in the area of your job interest.
Apply for internships
Prepare a very good resume highlighting your skills, achievements and what's special about you.
Create a good LinkedIn profile.
Attend job fairs.
Apply to jobs through company websites or LinkedIn etc.
Attend mock interviews.
Improve your communications skills.
Knowing interview etiquette
Knowing about the company you apply for a job.

wish you all the best in your endevaors.
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Danaya’s Answer

Hey Lens,

I would recommend to do some research on job opportunities that spark your interest from now until you graduate from college. You can look for job opportunities on some job websites such as LinkedIn, Indeed, and etc.
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