JSG Blog

Keeping clients and candidates current.

Here’s How to Find A Post-Graduation Job During A Pandemic

Here’s How to Find A Post-Graduation Job During A Pandemic

If you are preparing to graduate this spring, you probably have a lot on your plate. Balancing finals and end-of-the-year projects is no easy feat, and the pressure to find a post-graduation job is building. Add a pandemic to the mix, and you have a recipe for a challenging job search. If you want to secure a job before you graduate, here are a few helpful tips.

Earning free certifications

If you are a traditional college student or even a high school senior, your work history is probably a little lackluster. You might have a summer job or two and possibly an internship, both of which are great. However, if you want to rise above your competition, you must bolster your resume. A great way to do that is to earn some free certifications. There are dozens of reputable sites and programs that offer free training and certifications. Not only will this broaden your knowledge about your targeted field, but make you a more marketable candidate. Once you complete these certifications, you can add them to your resume and LinkedIn profile to showcase your knowledge and stand out to recruiters.

Let recruiters know you are open to opportunities

Speaking of recruiters, if you are looking for a post-graduation job, it’s time to let them know! You can let recruiters know you are open to opportunities by turning on a new feature on your LinkedIn profile. This feature signals to recruiters that you are interested in learning about job opportunities, and thus, will encourage recruiters to reach out to you. When recruiters use LinkedIn to search for prospective candidates, they can filter by users who are open to work. So, if you don’t have this setting turned on, you could be missing out on some exciting job openings!

Plus, it gives you this nice filter on your LinkedIn profile picture, which will help you visually stand out to hiring professionals looking to make additions to their teams.

[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p_WSSV072tE[/embedyt]

Network with alumni

A great way to find a post-graduation job is to network with alumni. Join alumni associations, groups on LinkedIn with alumni from your school, and connect with them. When you send them a connection request on LinkedIn, send a personalized message with it. They are more likely to accept your invitation if you send them a personal message introducing yourself. Here is an easy example you can use:

“Hi [Insert Name],

My name is [Your Name], and I am a senior at [University Name]. I am looking to build my network with alumni, and I would love to connect!”

This example is super easy to customize and will help you successfully connect with alumni. You can tailor your connection requests to alumni working in similar fields or within companies you wish to work for after graduation. Fellow alumni are typically very eager to connect and help others succeed!

Are you looking for more job-search advice?

These three tips will help you land a post-graduation job and start your career journey off on the right foot. If you are looking for more job-search advice as you navigate this challenging time, check out our candidate resources. We have tons of valuable articles and pointers to help you make this transition successful. Good luck!

Share It

Facebook
Twitter
LinkedIn