More Job Searching Tips for College Graduates

About a month or so ago, I posted some job searching tips that recent college graduates could use to find a good non profit job.  Today, I wanted to go back to that subject, because there is no doubt that recent college graduates (especially those who have no previous work experience) have some of the hardest times finding work.  In my last post, my job search tips mostly focused on things you could do to make yourself more marketable (finding internships, etc).  This time, my advice will focus on how to make your job search more efficient.

First off, if you only follow one tip here this is the one you should: get in contact with your college's job placement services.  All colleges or universities, no matter how big or small, will have a employment service that will help you match up with companies (in this case, you will be wanting to look for nonprofits).  A lot of times, these will be jobs that have had alumni from your college work there in the past.  So chances are, they will be familiar with your school.  As a college graduate, you will need all the help you can, so you shouldn't think you are "too cool" to get assistance from your university.  You have a great resource at your disposal in your college's employment placement program: use it.

Next, you need to make sure you know what you want.  This sounds simple enough, but too many college grads go into their job search with only a vague idea of what they want to do.  Your major may be a guide in figuring this out, but it's not the whole equation.  Yes, you may have studied English during your time at school, but that doesn't necessarily mean you want to write for a living; perhaps you enjoy editing more.  Or maybe you want to be a professor.  Before you start your job search, it is imperative that you sit down and decide exactly what it is you enjoy most about your area of study.  Once you figure that out, you will be ready to narrow your career path down to a number of different jobs.

Finally, remember to keep a running list of all the organizations you applied to.  You don't want to waste time and apply to the same place twice, even if it's a different job.  Believe it or not, it's easier than you think to forget which jobs you applied to.

So with these job search tips, your new life looking for jobs should become a lot easier.  It may still not be a walk in the park, but it will sure be a little less stressful.