If you’re a recent graduate, you are probably looking to put your new skills into practice by finding a job in your field. Regardless of what stage you are at in your job search, the blog posts we’ve gathered provide useful information so that you can be ready for your next big opportunity.
Finding a Job
How to Organize Your Job Search
When you’re applying for many different jobs over a short period of time, it can be difficult to keep track of where you applied and even which version of your resume and cover letter you used to apply for each job. This post provides tips for organizing your job search, like:
- Creating a filing system for your different resumes and cover letters by making separate folders for each job application and using standard naming conventions (that you come up with) for all your job search documents.
- Using a spreadsheet to track your job applications that has various columns like the name of the company you applied to, the date you applied, and the resume and cover letter versions you used.
Applying for Jobs Online: Common Problems and Solutions
Walking into a business and asking for a job is basically a thing of the past. Instead, companies generally prefer prospective job searchers submit an online application. While the internet is certainly a more convenient way to apply for jobs over hitting the pavement, it’s not without its flaws. This post offers solutions to common problems experienced during the online job hunt.
6 Common Cover Letter Mistakes
Since an employer can receive hundreds of applications, they often narrow down candidates by looking at each applicant’s Cover Letter.
Having a Cover Letter that stands out and accurately conveys your skills and abilities is essential for you to get an edge over other applicants. Some Cover Letter tips that this post includes are:
- Ensuring there are no typos, spelling errors, or grammatical errors in your letter
- Trying not to focus too much on yourself, and focusing on how your qualifications and skills can solve the company’s problems instead
- Trying not to discuss too much — or too little — of your previous work history
- Avoiding clichés
- Trying not to make your Cover Letter sound like fan mail — highlight your skills and how they apply to the company rather than sounding like the company’s “super fan”
4 Ways to Ask for a Job Reference
If you make it to the interview process, chances are high that the employer will ask you for professional references from people who can attest to your work ethic and character.
This post offers information and tips on different ways that you can approach colleagues and superiors to ask for job references.
The Job Offer and the Employment Contract
4 Things to Consider Before Signing an Employment Contract: Part 1
Once you’re offered a job, it can be tempting to fill out the paperwork you receive as quickly as possible, since you’ve probably already discussed things like job title and salary with your new employer.
Before you sign the dotted line on your Employment Contract, it’s important to make sure that all the agreed upon terms (like job title, salary, responsibilities, overtime, and benefits) are clearly outlined and match what you and your future employer talked about in the original offer.
4 Things to Consider Before Signing an Employment Contract: Part 2
In Part 2 of our post, we did more research and compiled a list of four more things you should consider before signing an Employment Contract.
For instance, some jobs require you to travel, whether it be locally, nationally, or internationally, so your Employment Contract should specify what your travel compensation will be for things like meals, gas, travel time, accommodations, etc.
Resigning from a Job
As a former student, it’s likely that you have a job that helped you raise extra money to cover expenses and living costs during your time at school. Now that you’ve graduated, your current job might not be in your field of study and you probably want something that will use your education, or maybe you just want a different opportunity in general.
Even if you are planning on never returning to a company or you don’t particularly like your current job, it’s important to resign as amicably as possible so you don’t squander any future opportunities. This post has tips for resigning on good terms, including what to include and what not to include in your Resignation Letter.
5 Ways to Quit Your Job on Good Terms
Even if you are leaving a job that you are planning to never return to, or you have negative feelings towards the people or the place, it’s always best to quit on good terms. Writing a good Resignation Letter is important, but this post also goes through some other things that you can do to leave a good impression with your former employer:
- Give notice to your employer. Giving some notice that you are leaving (usually two weeks, although the amount of time can vary depending on how long you’ve been employed at your job) will help your employer plan for when you’re gone.
- Offer to tie up any loose ends. It’s recommended that you make yourself available to finish up any projects that you’ve already started and hand off any remaining tasks to your coworkers.
- Help with the hiring process. You can help your employer by offering to write the job posting for your position or go through applications to help create a list of candidates that you feel would make good replacements.
- Help with the training process. If you’re employer finds a replacement for you, you can offer to help train the new person so they are ready to go in their new position when you leave.
- Be present during your notice period. Since you’ve given your notice already, it’s easy to “check out” and not do your job to the best of your ability, since you’re leaving anyway. However, you should continue to give your best effort to avoid early termination or a bad reference.
Finding Meaningful Employment
Finding a job right after graduation might be daunting, but by following the information in these posts, you can help prepare yourself in the best way possible to maximize your current and future opportunities.
