If you're graduating this spring, you have reason to be optimistic about your job prospects: Employers plan to hire 16.6% more members of the Class of 2019 than last year's graduating class, says the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). That's the biggest increase among recent graduates since 2007.
"You've timed it perfectly," Brian Kropp, Vice President at Gartner, said to this year's college graduates on CNBC Make It. "It's hard to think of a better labor market that you could go into."
Still, recent college grads want to be sure they present themselves well to potential future employers. Below are career tips for new graduates, along with job search tips for recent graduates, to help you present yourself professionally and make a strong first impression.
To improve your chances of recruiters selecting your resume, contacting you for an interview and ultimately hiring you for a position that fits in with your career plan, our recruiting team put together a list of tips to help you slide more easily into your new role as a young professional:
Be sure your email address is appropriate.
No matter how qualified you are, when applying to jobs, you need an appropriate e-mail address. For instance, partyguy00@emailprovider.com might have been okay when you were younger, but when you are launching your professional career, it is not. Take time to get an appropriate e-mail address for your job search.
Create a LinkedIn profile--and update it often.
This is a great way to network and manage your online presence. It's simple and recruiters will look at it often. And once you have it, be sure to update it with new experiences and skills as you acquire them. For additional linkedin profile tips for new graduates, refine your headline, customize your summary, and highlight relevant coursework or projects.
Clean up your online presence and lock down your Instagram and Facebook accounts.
Recruiters Google. It is an easy way for us to get a more complete picture of a potential candidate. We do not search in hopes of finding incriminating photos from college, but we like to make sure there is nothing lurking out in the open that could reflect negatively on our organization if you are hired.
Prepare for interviews!
I am always surprised by the number of college seniors who show up tointerviews unprepared. We as recruiters do not expect you to have memorized our entire website, but we do expect you to have basic knowledge of the organization and the position for which you are interviewing.
Bring multiple copies of your resume and a notebook to the interview.
The extra resumes allow us to quickly and easily share qualified candidates with co-workers who also are involved in the hiring process. Using a notebook during an interview shows that you are engaged and interested in the position. Take notes! We also hope you've written in your notebook a few questions you'd like to ask about the role and the company. Sometimes that's all that stands between you and your dream position. Do not show up empty-handed. For more resume tips for recent graduates, tailor your bullet points to each posting and quantify results where possible.
No work experience? Use class projects! Often we see resumes with little or no work experience, but the applicant has a degree that's perfect for the role. Candidates with irrelevant or little work experience should provide detailed accounts of class projects that demonstrate the skills they are looking to use in their first job.
Record a professional voice mail message.
Recruiters call candidates frequently with updates on applications, interview requests and to extend offers. When we get a voice mail message that is not set up or resembles, "Yo! You have reached Chris. Leave a message," it can change our opinion of a candidate quickly. First impressions are extremely important.
This spring, the jobs market is on your side. Following this advice to present yourself well to a potential future employer can only help to ensure that you land the role for which you worked so hard these past four years. Good luck!
Q&A
Question: Why is now a good time for new graduates to start job hunting?
Answer: Employers plan to hire 16.6% more members of the Class of 2019 than the prior year, the biggest increase since 2007. As Gartner’s Brian Kropp put it, “It’s hard to think of a better labor market that you could go into.” It’s a favorable market, but you still need to present yourself professionally to stand out.
Question: How should I manage my online presence, including LinkedIn and social media?
Answer: Create a LinkedIn profile and update it often—recruiters look at it regularly. Refine your headline, customize your summary, and highlight relevant coursework or projects. Also clean up your broader online presence: recruiters Google candidates, so lock down Instagram and Facebook and make sure nothing public could reflect negatively on an employer.
Question: How should I prepare for interviews, and what should I bring?
Answer: Come in with basic knowledge of the organization and the role. Bring multiple copies of your resume so interviewers can share them, and carry a notebook to take notes and show engagement. Prepare a few thoughtful questions about the role and company—sometimes that’s what sets you apart. Don’t show up empty-handed.
Question: What if I have little or no work experience?
Answer: Use class projects to demonstrate your skills. Provide detailed accounts of projects that align with the work you want to do in your first job.
Question: Which contact details should I professionalize before applying?
Answer: Use an appropriate, professional email address—avoid casual or joke addresses. Also record a professional voicemail greeting; recruiters call frequently, and an unprofessional or missing message can quickly hurt first impressions.
