{"id":2718,"date":"2015-06-09T15:38:09","date_gmt":"2015-06-09T15:38:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/?p=500"},"modified":"2019-05-16T11:51:07","modified_gmt":"2019-05-16T17:51:07","slug":"important-tips-for-the-recent-college-grad","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/important-tips-for-the-recent-college-grad\/","title":{"rendered":"Important Tips for the Recent College Grad"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>The late nights cramming for finals is over; you\u2019ve put your cap and gown away\u2026yes, you\u2019ve survived college and it\u2019s time to enter the real world.\u00a0 Now before you start picking out the Ferrari or the McMansion, the first thing you\u2019ll need to do is find a job.\u00a0 While you\u2019ve likely taken some type of employment seminar, nothing in the real world is ever textbook in a job search.\u00a0 Below are important tips that I believe every new graduate should follow.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Network, network, network!<\/strong>\u00a0 Like most recent graduates, your network is likely more limited than those who\u2019ve been in the workforce for several years.\u00a0 One thing to remember, especially in a tight job market (and even in a great market) is that many times the old adage, \u201cIt\u2019s not what you know, but who you know\u201d does hold some truth.\u00a0 Sure, you still need to be qualified, however it never helps to have someone on the inside.\u00a0 So how does one network?<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>LinkedIn<\/strong>&#8211; not your traditional networking, however this is one social network you don\u2019t want to dismiss!<\/li>\n<li><strong>Connect\/converse without limits<\/strong>&#8211; don\u2019t sell your network short by networking with only those who can help you achieve your goals. Be open, honest and genuine with everyone- it\u2019s amazing how small the world is and karma has a way of coming back to find us.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Listen-<\/strong> don\u2019t just listen for opportunities in the \u2018now\u2019, listen to what those around you say. What makes their job difficult?\u00a0 Is that something you can fix?\u00a0 If you\u2019re able to connect these dots the opportunities afforded to you will be many.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/www.petersons.com\/blog\/career-planning-resume-writing-overview\/\">Concentrate on that resume!<\/a><\/strong><strong>\u00a0<\/strong>A resume, by Webster\u2019s own definition, is simple- it\u2019s a personal summary.\u00a0 So why not skip all the theatrics, slap together a few blurbs around your experience and start getting those applications out the door?\u00a0 The reality is that for each position you apply for, there are hundreds, if not more, other people trying to get the coveted interview.\u00a0 Now you don\u2019t need to ship your resume off with glitter ink, watermarks and neon orange paper (unless the position calls for quirky or gaudy), however you do need to make sure that the content of your resume is organized in a manner that easy to digest.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>Styles-<\/strong> make sure the overall style of your resume plays to your strengths. As a recent graduate you will want to focus on the skills and knowledge that you\u2019ve just earned.\u00a0 A narrative focusing on how those courses and any extracurricular activities relate to the position at hand may be the best way to go.<\/li>\n<li><strong>The little things<\/strong>&#8211; even the most perfect resume in the world is quickly derailed by spelling and grammar errors. Unless you\u2019ve broke out the quill and ink vial, give the spellchecker a click and then make sure you give it a once over- if possible find another set of eyes to review.\u00a0 Don\u2019t be that guy\u2026or gal who fails to heed this advice!<\/li>\n<li><strong>Customize-<\/strong> unless you\u2019re applying for the same position at the same organization over and over again, you should have more than one resume. In fact, you should make sure that each resume is suited and tailored for each position which you apply.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Keywords-<\/strong> make sure your resume is filled with keywords, this will ensure your resume will make it through the applicant tracking system. Often, keywords are simply job titles, skills, certifications and so on. I would suggest making a list of your targeted jobs and review the job posting and make a list of what terms or keywords appear many times, as this will give you an idea of what to use in your resume.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Beyond these tips, remember that even in the greatest of economies it takes time to land that perfect job.\u00a0 If you\u2019re not getting much traction in the way of interviews, consider using a professional resume writer.\u00a0 They\u2019re often able to help punch past that first layer and help land the interview.\u00a0 In the end, remain positive and be persistent as you follow your dreams.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><em>Michelle Kruse has more than 10 years of hiring and recruiting experience and a background in coaching and leadership development.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The late nights cramming for finals is over; you\u2019ve put your cap and gown away\u2026yes, you\u2019ve survived college and it\u2019s time to enter the real world.\u00a0 Now before you start picking out the Ferrari or the McMansion, the first thing you\u2019ll need to do is find a job.\u00a0 While you\u2019ve likely taken some type of<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[577,523,1035,578,579],"class_list":{"0":"post-2718","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","6":"category-colleges","7":"tag-after-college","8":"tag-careers","9":"tag-job-search","10":"tag-recent-grad","11":"tag-resume"},"better_featured_image":null,"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Important Tips for the Recent College Grad - Peterson&#039;s<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"As a new college graduate, there are several things to keep in mind when job searching. 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