Tips and tricks to get a job as soon as you're out of college

Don’t be upset or surprised if you don’t have a job by graduation day. It's absolutely normal and most of us go through it. Instead of stressing, think of it as the world being your oyster. It is important to stay positive and believe in yourself at this crucial point, as your mindset will play a big hand in where you choose to work. 

For those of you who are worried about whether you'll be able to find a job as soon as you're out of college, worry no more! These steps will definitely help you go a long way...

1. Update your email address 

If your e-mail ID is spicegirl3@yahoo.com or chocolatelover25@gmail.com, it’s time to upgrade! You don't want to come across as an amateur or an unprofessional person to your future employer. Make a new, sober email address that you can use for official purposes. 

2. Tailor your resume 

Look at the job description and make sure you’re mirroring it in some way. If a company is really large, the odds are that your application is being screened by a robot before a human, so keywords are important. 

3. Stick to the 2/3 rule 

Some people think that when a job lists 10 qualification requirements, they have to meet all 10. Instead, ask yourself, “Do I meet at least two-thirds of the things on this list?” For example, if a company post that a candidate should have a computer science degree and you don’t, but you do have everything else on the list in spades, go for it. Just be thoughtful: If a job requires seven years of experience and you only have one, that’s probably not good enough.

4. Don't be overly choosy

Applying for jobs is a lot like applying for college, where you have your stretches (the schools you really want to go to) and a couple of safeties. Most people apply only to their stretch jobs — even though not everyone can land a position there. Make sure you’re looking at a wide swath of options — your dream jobs as well as ones that seem like a sure bet.

5. Clean up online 

Go through the first three to five pages of your photos on social media and remove anything that could be deemed unprofessional. You’d be surprised by how much can be seen on Facebook, either because your account is public, which we don’t recommend, or because friends of friends can see it. There are high chances of someone in your industry knowing someone who knows you and hiring managers do poke around.

6. Put yourself first 

Especially in India, a lot of people don’t separate “This is what my parents think success looks like” or “This is what my friends think is a sexy job” from what it is they really want. Take the time to think about your values and strengths and what matters to you. It will reduce your anxiety and increase your future job satisfaction.

Do you know any tips to score well at an interview? Let us know in the comments below...