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Everyone has to start somewhere in their career, and it's okay to not know where you want to go or what you want to do long-term. But gaining first-hand experience can reduce stress and help you with future activities. Here are seven tips for finding the perfect job:
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Consider why you want a job, such as to make money or start an exciting career. Reflecting on your short- and long-term goals can offer you direction when searching for a job. For example, if you're looking to begin a profession, you can focus on entry-level roles to gain valuable experience and develop your skills.
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Next, be clear on what searching for a job entails. While it's important to look for roles that align with your goals, ensure you qualify for them. For example, suppose your goal is to get a high-paying job. As these roles typically require advanced qualifications, you can first target entry-level sectors, such as retail, or prioritize jobs related to your academic background.
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Keep your eyes peeled for jobs that might expand your work experience even further!
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“I would be open to all the possibilities out there. [My] position at the start wasn’t something that I thought would be a good fit for me, but then I took that opportunity to apply and just see if maybe there was more to it than what was written down in the job description.” (Maritsa Restrepo, University of Georgia)
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While recruiters are perusing your profile, it makes the process easier when you have fully fleshed out your experience — giving them the whole scope of what you can offer as an employee.
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“Really just fully set [your profile] up, make sure to have your resume on there… make sure your profile’s totally set up when it comes to the Handshake website.” (Richard Riehl, JMU)
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Insight on your dream job never hurts. You get to build relationships with seasoned professionals while also learning trade secrets about a position you might hold one day.
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“If [you’re] interviewing for a position, talk to someone or find someone with that same position and really ask them their questions. Like what does the day to day look like? How did you get to where you are now?” (Taylor Wong, University of San Diego)
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While Handshake is great for getting in touch with companies, it’s also lucrative to search around the great relationships that you’ve already built up around you.
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“Talk to your friends, family, professors and anyone who will listen about your job search. You’d be surprised what other people have gone through trying to find the right jobs for themselves.” (Brittney Butler, University of Georgia)
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It’s easy to get discouraged when rejections come back, but stay focused on your own worth and the right position will present itself.
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“Apply to as many things as you can, just because you don’t hear [back] from everybody; they get so much volume in terms of resumes from different students.” (Jessica DeMaio, Pace University)