Tips for Fresh Graduates on Job Applications

It took me 7 months post graduation to land a full-time role at Red Hat! Here are 5 things that helped me tackle the current job market and could help you too- 🦋 Tailor your resume- Instead of using the same resume for multiple job applications, tailor it to match the specific job description. Adding keywords from the job description into your resume gives you more chances of getting your resume selected. Focus on applying for 10-15 jobs with a referral and a tailored resume instead of a hundred cold applications. 🦋 Ask for referrals- Reach out to people in the company you are interested in with a friendly message including a small introduction, what you are looking for, your resume and the job link you want to apply for. Be extremely humble with your words since this person is doing you a favor if they decide to refer you. 🦋 Connect with people currently working in the similar role- Once you start getting interviews, reach out to people who already work in similar roles at the company. Ask about their experience working at the company and what was the interview process like for them. This will help you prepare better for your interviews. 🦋 Build a portfolio website- Even if you're not looking specifically for Software Developer roles, building a portfolio website where you can showcase your projects and the work you've done is a great way to stand out. It makes it easier for interviewers to see what you can do. 🦋 Showcase enthusiasm about the role- Interviewers love to see that you're genuinely excited about the opportunity. Speak about how you envision yourself making a meaningful impact. Share specific examples of projects or initiatives that showcase your eagerness to contribute. These simple steps made a big difference for me, and I hope they help you too! Your dream job might be closer than you think! 🚀 #JobSearchTips #CareerAdvice #RedHat #SoftwareEngineer #NewGrad 🎉

Its Graduation Season and navigating the job market as a recent grad can be tough, especially with increased competition from both peers and experienced professionals. Here are some strategies to help you stand out: 1. Leverage internships, co-ops, volunteer opportunities, and part-time jobs to gain practical experience and expand your network both during your time in school and after graduation. Employers highly value real-world exposure, even if it's not directly aligned with your desired career path. Taking any job, regardless of its relevance to your degree, demonstrates your initiative to navigate the professional world, making you more appealing to hiring managers. Additionally, volunteering with non-profits in your field of interest, whether in #finance, #accounting, #HR, #marketing, or other areas, offers invaluable hands-on experience. Non-profits consistently welcome assistance, providing ample opportunities for skill development and networking. 2. Network strategically: Attend career fairs, industry events, and networking mixers to meet professionals in your field. Utilize LinkedIn to connect with alumni and professionals who can provide insights and potentially refer you for job opportunities. 3. Develop your personal brand: In a competitive job market, distinguishing yourself from other candidates is more crucial than ever. This is where personal branding comes into play, acting as a game-changer in your job search. Personal branding isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a strategic approach to presenting yourself as the ideal candidate. For more tips/tricks on personal branding be sure to check out our blog linked below. 4. Showcase your soft skills: Highlight your communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and adaptability skills on your social profiles, resume and during interviews. Employers are increasingly valuing these qualities in candidates. 5. Be proactive: Don't wait for job postings to appear. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for, even if they're not actively hiring. Find an executive recruiter within your desired field and make that connection. Express your enthusiasm for their work, the industry and inquire about potential opportunities. 6. Stay resilient: Rejection is part of the job search process, but don't let it discourage you. With each rejection, use it as an opportunity to grow, learn, develop and network. Keep refining your approach, seeking feedback, and staying persistent. The right opportunity will come along with perseverance and determination. #GetStarted https://lnkd.in/gGdPfWWq

Here is a #cheatsheet for students who want to be prepared for those first interviews post-graduation.   #Interviewing is like what you’ve been doing for the last 4 years - #Learning. Learn as much as you can about your future employer as possible. How else will you know if you’re fit for the role & company?   1.     Do your homework. Study your prospective employer like you would study for your final exam. Understand how their business works. Go beyond a 101-level understanding of the company. If you’re going to commit to a company, be intimate with how their business works & what makes them successful. That means a deep understanding of their products, services, competitors, and customers.   2.    Understand the role. Like reading a syllabus before taking a class, match your skills to the position. This means having the #passion & #skills needed to succeed. Being fit for the role is a key to enjoying the job. Long-term misalignment creates stress & anxiety for the candidate.   3.    Be prepared. Have a pencil & notebook ready to take notes. Anticipate questions & have answers prepared. Jot down important pieces of information. Even though we’re in a technical age, note-taking is still an essential skill. Don’t be afraid to reference your notes.   4.    Ask questions. Lots & lots of questions. Ask 200 to 300-level questions. Go deeper to understand the specifics of the position. Ask meaningful follow-up questions. Follow-up questions show that you’re engaged & invested in the company. Curiosity is a skill employers desire.   5.    Study the market. If you’re interviewing with a tech company, be versed in technology & innovation. If you’re interviewing with a financial services company, be aware of what is trending in banking and investments. In our case, understand Drug Development and Clinical Trials. The deeper your understanding, the more appealing you are to your future employer. Have at least a 300-level understanding of the market.   6.    Know the business goals. Dig deep to understand what is required of you and make the connection with how the business operates. Have a 400-level understanding of what you will do for the company and how your role contributes to the company’s #goals. This will help the employer visualize you in the role.   7.    Practice communication skills. Work on the soft skills of interviewing. Work on body language, enthusiasm, & appropriate eye contact. Remove certain words or phrases from your vocabulary, such as “Like”, “Um”, and “You know.” Answer questions as clearly & succinctly as possible. Communication skills are increasingly more important. Even more so if you’re in a customer-facing role.   Bonus Tip: Update your LinkedIn Profile. Corporate recruiters and hiring managers will refer to your LinkedIn profile to review your experience, how connected you are, and the content you share. Be sure to make connections within the company and the industry you’re looking for.  

A few tips for graduating students getting ready to ramp up their job search this semester: 1. Create different variations of your resumes for the different role profiles (engineering, product, finance, etc) you’re interested in and organize them in a resume folder in Drive/in your files. This will help you apply to a wider range of roles faster and will help ease the barrier of applying (it’s a draining process!) 2. A valuable and productive day of job searching doesn’t always include submitting applications. As mentioned above, the search process can be exhausting, so it’s important to safeguard your energy while keeping momentum. Spend a few hours just researching companies and different roles with no expectation that you’ll be submitting an application. This will help you consider and discover opportunities you haven’t in the past and will also continue propelling your search without requiring all that much effort 3. Networking events and careers fairs can be the worst, especially when it’s close to graduation and there’s a lot of pressure to land a job. To help make these experiences more tolerable and productive, it can be helpful to go into them with a concrete plan and clear goals. Example—I want to talk to 3 companies I’m interested in, 2 companies I don’t know much about, and establish an email connection/intro with at least 3 recruiters. Accomplishing these smaller goals will help you focus and leave you feeling fulfilled after what can be draining events 4. Parallel network! Your peers are just as (if not more) valuable to you in your job search as recruiters/mentors. Ask around your college/orgs to get more intel on which companies are hiring and how to best navigate desired applications. We’ve all sent cold reach-outs to recruiters and professionals to ask a few questions—don’t be afraid to do the same with your peers! 5. Finally, and most importantly, be kind to yourself. The job search is just one of many priorities in your life and all of it together is grueling. Make time every day, even if it’s just a little, for wellness and self-care