Job Searching: The Ultimate Guide

As you step out into the working world as a recent graduate, make sure you know the various job portals and routes available, and explore all your options to get the best chance of finding what you are looking for.

There are a number of paths you can look at when looking for a job as a graduate. While one of the most common methods for applying for jobs is undoubtedly through the internet, there are a variety ofother options available, so do not be afraid to make use of them too.

Go online

With so many online career portals, you can take your pick, though you should ensure that the ones you join and subscribe to are the ones that suit you best. Gradsingapore.com, for instance, curates both jobs and internships, and is considered a beneficial and helpful resource for those who are both in the early stages of their career or fresh graduates. There are other sectorspecific portals as well, such as cultjobs.com, which offers an accumulated trove of roles only in the fields of advertising, media and design. Otherwise, there are company websites and company social media pages to turn to as well, and they can be more useful astheyoften offera peekintotheorganisation’swork cultureaswell asfirst-hand information regardingpositions and vacancies. Websites such as glassdoor.com give insider information about a company’s culture and recruitment process, and LinkedIn is particularly useful for figuring out hiringtrendsaround theworld whilealsograntingexposure.

Go old school

Although not a popular method of looking out for jobs any longer, employers do still place advertisements for various positions in newspapers and magazines. On top of that, graduate hiring schemes are also occasionally featured in these publications. Career services on campus

There is no need to be afraid of approaching your career centres on campus grounds –after all, these centres, especially ones in the universities, have a wide range of contacts and resources you will be able to leverage on. Moreover, resources may not only be more specific and targeted to your course of study, but are also connected to employers in these areas.

When you speak to your career counsellors on campus, make your aspirations and career goals clear and known so they have a better idea on how to help you. If you are facing any challenges concerning your hunt for a job, they are the best people to turn to for guidance. Some career service centres even offer networking sessions for graduates to get to know employers as well as mentoring.

Career fairs Internships

Whether you choose to attend career fairs on campus or in public, go in with a strategy in mind. Find out which employers are going to be there before the fair itself, and prepare some questions you would like to ask. Bringcopiesofyourresume tohand outtoprospective employers, as well as name cards, if you have any, and, after the event, be sure to email your new contacts to establish yourconnection with them. In the note, include any interesting points ofconversation you may have had to help the recruiter remember you out of the many faces they may have met that day. Send your resume across one more time over the email, and add in the links to your online portfolio or LinkedIn profile as well. Work placements and internships can lead to full-time positions,especiallyifyou haveproven yourselftobea good fit for the company and get along with your co-workers.

Apply speculatively

Writing to prospective employers –even if they are not advertising vacancies –to enquire about available job positions is known as applying speculatively and has the potential toshowyourinterestin a company. However, you will also need to indicate your understanding of their field and why you are what they are on the lookout for.

Recruitment services

Another way to get suitable job offers is to engage recruitment consultation services. Although you have to fork out some cash, you will be able to meet up with them forconsultations to discuss yourprofessional goals and use their connections to potential employers. Moreover, you can use them as a source of information to prepare for prospective assessments and interviews.

Network

Manyyoungjobseekersandgraduatesprofitfromnetworks, both personal and professional, when lookingfora firstjob. It is not just about what you know – it is about who you know, so keep in touch with old contacts, make new ones, avoid burning bridges, and never turn down a chance to network, whetheritisin a personal settingora professional one.