Job Search Advice for 2020 Graduates During COVID
Congratulations, you deserve to celebrate this huge success in your young career. Do not discount the accomplishment of achieving your degree just because a formal ceremony was not held. You worked hard, and put in 4 long years to get to where you are today.
However, in the midst of COVID, there is no denying that times are tough, the job market is at an all time low and there is a lot of uncertainty surrounding the future. As an HR professional working with students and entry level talent, I wanted to share some job advice for the graduating class of 2020.
1: Get organized. The working world is a totally different ball game than being a student. Take this time to organize your life outside of work. Make sure you are in a good mental state to focus on this next stage in your life. You can start with cleaning up your computer, creating a 9–5 routine and sitting down to list out your goals for the next few months. Do a ton of research on all the different jobs that are out there — create a spreadsheet. Draft, edit and share your resume and cover letter with friends and family to get feedback and advice. Create a file to house all of your job search documents.
2: Build your digital presence. Companies are going to be looking at your digital presence now more than ever — make sure your social media accurately depicts your intended “digital persona”. Update your Linkedin to include a picture, bio and clear list of your previous experience. Upload your resume to Linkedin. Make sure you update your Linkedin status to “open to new opportunities” and change your headline to reflect what types of roles you are actively searching for. Start to connect and grow a following with other working professionals in your industry. Share relevant work on your social channels that spark conversation and maybe this can lead to a new connection!
3: Be open, but strategic. Be open when it comes to exploring opportunities that might come your way or even in your searching parameters. Be strategic once you find the ideal role. Apply with care and be sure you have what it takes to do the job by catering your resume to the job descriptions you find.
4: Get creative. Now is your time to shine, you grew up in a technology first environment. Why treat your resume or application any different? Create an interactive resume, create a clip that explains why companies should hire you, create a gif that shows off your personality, the options are truly endless…
5: Leverage your network. Find a recruiter who works at the company you applied for and reach out. Don’t just reach out to say hi, make it impactful. Share the exact job you applied for, bullet out some reasons you make a good fit, share some fun facts (every body loves those!). ALWAYS attach your resume to that initial outreach. Try to make the message concise, and reflective of your personality. Ask professors for recommendations or connections in your industry of interest. Ask them if they are open to introducing you via email with recruiters or industry professionals. Reach out to employees that work at the company you are hoping to work for — ask for advice or mentorship. Make sure to double check any outreach messaging for typos.
6: Bring the energy. Often times, companies will hire at the entry level because they loved a candidates personality, entrepreneurial spirit and innate curiosity. Maybe your skills aren’t perfectly applicable to the role itself and that’s okay, we’re not expecting VP level knowledge here. What you should strive for is making the hiring manager smile during the interview and follow this up with a beautifully crafted note to thank them for taking the time out of their busy day. Believe it or not, if you do these simple steps you are already doing better than the majority!
7: Practice your pitch. I’m sure you have heard this before from your professors, but let me re-iterate the importance. Of course recruiters love to see a beautiful resume with tons of extracurriculars and internships. However, if your resume does not match how you tell your story, we might go with another candidate. That candidate might have less experience on paper, but if they were able to explain this experience in a more relevant and impactful way they are automatically ranked higher.
8: A first round interview does not guarantee the job. Companies will usually have a recruiter do the first round interview, otherwise known as a “screening call”. Screens are considered preliminary and recruiters want to see how you describe your accomplishments and why you are a fit for the role. It is crucial that you are able to clearly articulate why we should choose you over another candidate. Doing your research and asking outside of the box questions are just some things you can do to stand out. Don’t forget to bring the energy and follow up with your recruiter after to send a thank you note.
9: Become comfortable interviewing in a virtual environment. Make sure you test the technology you are being asked to use for the interview. Make sure you check your internet connectivity and have a back up method such as sharing your cell-phone number with the interviewers in case any interruptions come up. Remember to dress up for the part. Be mindful of your facial expressions and make sure you look engaged as body language is harder to read over a screen. Try to let the interviewer finish every thought before interrupting. Do your research and write down some questions to ask. Ask the interviewer if you can take notes on their responses, but be careful to also be engaged in the natural flow of the conversation. After the interview, send the interviewer a nicely crafted email that re-iterates why you are the right person for the role and thank them for their time.
10: Stay positive. Every connection you make along this journey in searching for a job is worth it. Maybe not right away, but who knows how this connection will help you in the future. You have a lot to offer, make sure your applications and outreach clearly reflect that.
Lastly, remember this is only temporary. Keep on keeping on, you will land a job eventually :)
