How To Land A Full-Time Job As A Fresh Graduate
Keep tabs on potential companies
Sure, we all have that one dream company and dream job. You’ve been looking at that vacancy within that particular company for a long time now. But just as you’re graduating, that position has been filled. Now, you’re stuck with your second best option and wondering if there are any other spaces that could get bumped up to your list of top 5 companies to work at.
Lists are always going to be a great source of help whenever one finds himself/herself in doubt. When you are figuring out how to choose the right job for yourself, make a list of potential job opportunities/interests that stand out to you.
It is one of the best ways to keep track of which companies may be hiring. This can be done by setting alerts or notifications on LinkedIn. One can also consider attending career fairs. Alternatively, you can tap on your networks to browse through available opportunities too.
As a fresh graduate, actively monitor some of the companies that tend to open up vacancies within their firms during a specific window. This will allow you the opportunity to submit your applications accordingly.
Learn about your own interests
In order to be happy at a full-time job, you’d need to have strong interests in that particular field of work. As such, take the time to learn about your own interests! Ensure that you take the time to match your identity to each job opportunity that you find yourself interested in.
Remember that the right job will always call out to you. You can identify the perfect job opportunity by comprehending your personality and passion. Then, you can match your existing skill set and connect them to the advertised job position.
Break down your skills into different categories. Identify your hard skills and soft skills – particularly those that you may have acquired from outside your work environment! If there is a specific hobby or activity that you enjoy doing and have thought of taking it up for a career and don’t mind getting paid for it, consider why your interests lie in the area.
It is important that you feel some form of connection or interest in your full-time job. Simply because, you will be spending the bulk of your time working for this specific company in your designated job role.
Map out your professional goals
Sketching out a professional road map is perhaps one of the many steps you can take to help yourself on the journey to finding the right job. As a fresh graduate, it is important to consider where you would like to take your career. Thinking about this can help to provide you with the view of a bigger picture. It can also give you a glimpse on where or how to get started!
One way to get started with the professional road map is by considering your own interests. Continue by asking yourself where that particular career path can lead you in the future?
Say 5 years from when you join, does the job promise you with enough room to grow? Does the idea of a promotion to a senior position at that firm or within that specific industry align with your future goals on a personal level?
When we’re talking about goals, identify both your long-term as well as your short-term goals. This will help to create a draft framework of where you want to see yourself in the future. Long-term goals are aspirations that usually take about 3 to 5 years to accomplish.
Essentially, sketching out a professional road map is all about asking yourself what your passion(s) are. It’s also about where you see yourself going with it in both the near and further future. That’s one way to land your first full-time job!
Research away
As a fresh graduate, most students should have engaged in some form of research during their school days. Apply these very useful skills to this task too! Conduct some research to identify what works best for you.
Allow your secondary research about job opportunities and educational background to function as your guide. When you find yourself lacking information, dig in deeper by conducting more research.
For instance, if you’re looking at testing the waters within a professional field, consider taking up internships to practice and figure out whether that job field suits you. If you feel more ready and comfortable signing on to a 1 year or 2-year work contract at your dream firm, go for it!
Read up online, ask your seniors and your employers about their experiences as a fresh graduate too. This should provide you with a little more insight on what to expect during your job hunt.
And there you have it – a compiled list of some simple tips that fresh graduates can utilise to land their first full-time job!
We hope this article has helped to calm some of your nerves as you look forward to joining the workforce. We wish you the best of luck!
