Senior year of college can be bittersweet. You’re saying goodbye to the past four years of your life and stepping into a new chapter. This transition period may be marked by uncertainty about your future. Uncertainty that is simultaneously exciting and terrifying. 

If you’re about to graduate, remember that it’s okay not to have it all figured out yet. In today’s competitive job market, it can be hard to land an interview, much less find a role that fits your goals. 

We’re here to share some tips to guide you through this uncertainty and find a path for your future. 

Define Your Career Goals

Before you do anything, reflect on your college and work experience so far. Consider questions like:

• What projects have sparked your interest? 
• What do you feel passionate about?
• What are common post-grad pathways for your major?
• Are you drawn to any specific industries or companies?
• What skills do I have? What kind of workplace do these skills fit into?
• What roles interest me?

Answering these questions can help you identify an ideal career path. By focusing on your skills and passions, you can pursue a role where you’ll thrive. 

If you still feel stuck, consider taking a career match quiz. There are several free resources that will suggest roles based on your skills and interests. 

Once you’ve identified roles and industries of interest, do a deep dive to learn more about them. Look into the basic expectations for these roles and reach out to people who are currently in the industry to get a realistic understanding of what their day-to-day looks like. 

It’s also important to research salary expectations and job market trends for each role to prepare you for what to expect when you enter the industry.

Create/Update Your Resume & LinkedIn Profile

Ideally, you’ll already have put together a resume and LinkedIn profile. If not, now is the time to start. 

Since you’re just starting your career, your resume should only be about a page. Include any relevant experience that you’ve had so far. Lead with your most significant work, such as internships or on-campus jobs that are related to your ideal role. 

If you don’t have a lot of job experience, share some of your relevant coursework and projects that you’ve completed. Have a section dedicated to your skills and any certifications you have. 

Lots of recruiters and hiring managers use LinkedIn to search for candidates. Update your LinkedIn to have a professional photo and header. Make sure that your headline, summary, experience, and skills are filled out as well. For more information on optimizing your LinkedIn page, go to this link.

Build & Leverage Your Network

Most colleges will host career fairs, networking events, and alumni meetups. Take advantage of these events to discover career opportunities and build up your network. Even if someone there doesn’t have a role for you, they could connect you with someone else who does. 

Your network will be your lifeline in a competitive job market. As a recent graduate, this can sometimes be difficult because you don’t have a strong network yet. Start networking early by connecting with professors at your school, professional mentors, and alumni. Most people want to help new graduates land on their feet. If you’re proactive about reaching out, you will develop valuable relationships that can support you throughout your career. 

Gain Experience (Even If You Haven’t Had an Internship)

You may be thinking, it’s too late to gain experience before graduating. Don’t limit yourself with this thinking – experience can come from anywhere. 

You can develop your skills by working on personal projects, doing freelance work, or volunteering somewhere relevant to your career aspirations.

You can also boost your skillset by completing online courses and gaining certifications.

Strategically Apply for Jobs

Once you have a strong resume and a sense of your ideal job, it’s time to start applying. The key is to be strategic rather than just sending out as many applications as possible.

Set yourself up for success by doing these two things:

• Set a goal for applications per week: On the job hunt, consistency is key. Set a target for how many roles you’ll apply for each week – 10 is a great starting point. Once you’ve set this target, try to devote 30 minutes a day to finding openings and submitting your applications. 
• Customize resumes and cover letters for each position: Review the job posting and identify the skills and responsibilities that are a match for your experience. Tailor your applications to each company to highlight why you’re a great fit. This may take longer than LinkedIn’s easy apply, but you’ll get a higher response rate, and it’ll be more efficient overall. 

Practice Interviewing

If you’ve made it past the early application review stage, congratulations! You now have the opportunity to connect one-on-one with the company and show off your skills. 

Interviews can be intimidating at the start. Practicing using these methods can help you prepare and lessen those nerves.

•  Schedule mock interviews with career services: Your school’s career center likely offers mock interviews and career coaching. Take advantage of these free resources.
• Prepare answers for common behavioral and technical questions: Many interviews follow the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). Practice structuring your answers this way.
• Research the company beforehand: Be ready to answer why you want to work there and what you know about the company’s mission.
  

 Follow Up & Stay Organized

When trying to find a job, there are a lot of moving pieces to keep track of. To guarantee that nothing falls through the cracks, follow these recommendations:

• Track applications, deadlines, and follow-ups in a spreadsheet: This will help you stay on top of which jobs you’ve applied to, when you should follow up, and which companies have responded. Consider color-coding or using a job-tracking tool to keep everything in one place. Organization will prevent you from missing deadlines and help you keep momentum in your search.
• Send thank-you emails after networking meetings or interviews: A simple follow-up can set you apart from other candidates. A short email thanking the interviewer for their time and reiterating your interest in the role can leave a lasting impression. If you met someone at a networking event, follow up with a LinkedIn connection request and a personalized message to keep the conversation going. Small gestures like these can lead to big opportunities

Be Optimistic and Stay Open to Plan B

Landing your first job is difficult and takes time. Have patience and don’t get discouraged if you can’t find a role right away. 

Stay open to alternative options such as internships or contract roles. You never know where your next opportunity will come from. These can be great stepping stones to the job of your dreams while getting some more experience under your belt. 

Have faith in yourself and your future. You will end up where you’re meant to be.