Looking for and Applying for Jobs

The transition from being a student to someone looking for their first job can be a very daunting process. It has been made more difficult to find jobs given the overwhelming number of students graduating every year versus the number of jobs that are available. Yet, one can start preparing early to smoothen the transition process of landing one’s first job.

Read more here:

1. https://timesnext.com/fresher-jobs-7-tips-applying-for-job-as-fresher/
2. https://www.naukri.com/blog/how-to-get-a-job-as-a-fresher/
3. https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-get-job-fresher-raja-rajan

Here are a few tips on how to look for and apply for jobs:

• Create and upload your resume to job sites:
  • Use this to highlight your key skills, statement of career goals, educational accomplishments etc. Job sites are used by both employers and employees.
  • Some job sites you can look at:
    • LinkedIn
    • Indeed
    • Bayt
    • Foundit
    • Glassdoor

• Maintain a strong and professional social media presence:
  • Use a professional picture on your LinkedIn profile and ensure it is updated with your most recent engagements.
  • Also ensure that the other social media accounts such as your Twitter and Facebook profiles portray you as respectful, trustworthy and employable.

• Keep up with news from the industry:
  • You should be able to stay on top of the recent developments in your field at any given time even if you are not currently working.
  • Read industry journals, newspapers or publications so that you are able to form opinions of where the industry is headed. The easiest way to keep upto date is to follow the social media of companies in the industry and influencers(if any) in the industry.

• Leverage your network:
  • In most cases, it is not about what you know, rather about who you know.
  • Loads of vacancies globally are filled with word of mouth references alone. If you have worked past jobs, you should be able to reach out to them to let them know you are currently looking for work. Another very influential network is your school/college/university alumni network. If your network feels you could add value to their work, they are more likely to put in a good word.

• Making yourself employable:
  • It is good to have voluntary experience and/or internship experience on your CV. This helps you pick up a lot of transferable skills that you would not have picked up with your academic qualifications alone.
  • Check out websites such as Coursera , Udemy , Linkedin Learning for courses, both free and paid, that can also help you gain new knowledge.