The Seven Stages of Securing a Grad Job
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1. Shock & Denial
3. Application
You always knew this day would come, but suddenly it feels as though it has come so much sooner — no thanks to a pandemic which saw a year of your degree completed from the lounge room, in the company of only a sad monitor setup and disruptive pets. But you still have two semesters to finish… it couldn’t possibly be time to apply for jobs already? Regardless of how you got here, you’re here: your final year and now, it’s time to look beyond. Choose to take comfort or concern in the fact that you are one of many soon-to-be graduates trailing this very path.
Here’s the most obvious step. It goes without saying that you won’t be receiving any offers for jobs you never applied for. There’s a fine line between increasing your odds and exhausting yourself. A (simplified) way to narrow things down is to ensure that (a) you are actually qualified for the role you’re applying for, and (b) you have a genuine interest in the industry and organisation. Ask yourself: “have I completed the appropriate degree or major?” and “does this role spark contentment?” Now, buckle up for some lengthy applications and a series of psychometric testing, interviews, and mildly to entirely gauche online assessments.
2. Preparation Armed with Canva, it’s time to polish up that resume and scope out the job market. Many applications open in February, while a few trickle through to July to commence the following February. At the expense of sounding like a career counsellor, LinkedIn truly will be one of your greatest allies at this stage. You don’t have to love it, but at least respect it enough to pay regular visits. While Career Connect has some helpful tips to offer, let me save you some time. Most prominently, you will be reminded to do your research, familiarise yourself with the STAR interview method, and of course, customise your CV and cover letter (and for the love of LinkedIn, make sure to change the company name and have someone proofread it).
Issue 02/2021: Growing Pains
4. Rejection No surprises here. This is another one of those uncomfortable steps, and perhaps the most poignant at that. Rejection is inevitable along the way, and it may take many forms. At times, rejection looks like a prompt automated email straight off the bat; other times, you may have toiled through several assessments before receiving the big ‘no’ or, in this case, the big ‘we regret to inform you that…’. Keep in mind that this may very well go both ways. If at any point the sparkling façade of an organisation or your interest seems to erode, politely withdraw, and carry on.
