Job Hunting Tips

As someone who has been on the job hunt during college breaks or after graduation, I've had a good amount of practice when it comes to looking for a new position. Below are some tips or suggestions I have learned through my experience.

Networking

Networking is probably the most crucial part of going through the application process for a job. Through my informational interviews, past job interviews and personal experience, I've learned that for some companies it's not always about your work background, but who you know.

This being said, something I did while searching for a job was reach out to individuals I already knew in industries I was interested in. This was a great way to get a better understanding of the work for specific organizations or fields in addition to gaining any insight from that individual's own experience. By taking the time to reconnect with some of these people, I not only learned and gained tips from someone in that line of work, but I was also given contacts to reach out to or positions to apply for that I wasn't aware of prior.

Networking doesn't only include the people you already have connections with, however. It is also smart to reach out to people you may not know or have any connections with. There are instances where these professionals are busy or won't respond, but occasionally one or two people will be willing to set up an informational interview or answer any questions you have via email or messaging. This not only demonstrates initiative, but also shows your willingness to meet new people and learn new things.

Practicing for Interviews

Though interviews can sometimes merely be 15 minutes phone screenings, I've always found it important to take the time to prepare for them. To do this, I typically practice answering basic interview questions one expects for initial interview. These include running through your resume, what interested you in the position or company, identifying some of your strengths or weaknesses and asking the interviewer questions.

Have an elevator pitch ready, meaning, have a good understanding of what the position requires and how you fit that position. Find any previous examples or tasks from your past work that could be applied to the opening you're applying for.

Also, make sure you have at least two or three quality questions to ask. These should be more than "what is your favorite thing about working at ___ company?" This is the time for the company to show that they are a good fit for you as well. Ask about values that matter to you.

Are you looking to grow with the organization? Ask about how the company assists in the growth and development of their employees. Are you curious about which people or positions this role will be working with? Ask about the team structure, how many people will you be working with, etc.

Know the Company

When interviewing for an organization it is expected that you did research on them prior to the interview. Know the company's value and what they stand for. If you're someone who takes work life balance more seriously, make sure the organization you're looking at does the same. You don't want to accept a position with a company you don't see as a good fit.

Take the time to see what kind of work they do, their clients and their services. For example, I'm someone that wants to work for an agency with a variety of services and clients. I like to check if a company does work for organizations in different industries. Is there a project that I've worked on in the past that was similar to a campaign or project they've done? Finding these connections can benefit me later on in the interview process.

Further, odds are I'll be working on one of these accounts, so researching any work they've done can assist in having a better understanding of any potential tasks expected for this position.

Lastly, take a look at the leadership. As someone who recently graduated and is new to the workforce, having strong mentors is important to me. Seeing who this position will be working under and what kind of experience they have is a good tell on what kind of culture and individuals work for the company. Do you see a variety? Are these people more specialized? These are good characteristics to find out prior to applying or interviewing for an organization.

Be Flexible

I mean be flexible in two ways. The first is that there is no perfect job or company out there. Be open to new opportunities, you don't have to be the exact match for the job description. Most employers don't expect you to know everything before the job, make it a chance to learn knew things and grow as a professional. You may end up enjoying an industry or project more than you expected. For example, in my last position, the idea of working on accounts with gaming clients was well out of my comfort zone, however I ended up learning a lot and really enjoyed the work I was doing for the account.

The second meaning to being flexible is to keep in mind that those you are interviewing with are also working. It may take them time to respond to email or schedule interviews. Remember that you're not their only priority. Be open to interviewing at random times. Adjust to their schedule rather than have them fit around yours.