1. Review your online presence.
Most employers today check out applicants on the Internet and Social Media sites. What they find out about you will either increase your chances of being hired, or eliminate you. Recruiters, employers and hiring managers say that over 30 percent of the applicants they review are rejected because of what they found out about them online with Facebook and YouTube postings as the main sources for rejection.
2. Don’t rely on advertised positions.
One of the biggest mistakes graduates make is to focus on advertised positions. The vast majority of employment opportunities today are never advertised and learning how to find them is a skill you must develop. Network, apply speculatively, enquire… generally, be nosy!
3. Focus on small companies.
Don’t just go for the big companies. Many employment opportunities are to be found in small companies, which includes self-employed people who have more work than they can handle. Increase your chances of being hired by emphasizing that you’re open to part-time, temporary, and contract work.
4. Learn how to sell yourself.
Many graduates are very uncomfortable with this area but it’s a skill you must develop. The good news is anyone can learn how to do it. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at how effectively you can sell yourself once you understand how the process works.
5. Create a LinkedIn Account.
Learn as much as you can about LinkedIn before you do this. Spend as much time creating your LinkedIn account as you would creating your resume and make sure the information on both of them is consistent since recruiters, employers and hiring managers will be looking at both of them.
Keep your account up to date as you gain more experience and pick up new skills.
If you would like help in achieving any of these steps, from practice in selling yourself interview situations, to creating a LinkedIn account, the Career Development Services can help. Contact us for an appointment, or drop in to see us.
Ron McGowan is the author of the bestseller “How to Find WORK – In the 21st Century”, currently in use at hundreds of colleges and universities worldwide.