Finding a job is harder now than it ever has been before. The economy still has not recovered from its collapse several years ago, and there are simply not enough jobs available to accommodate all of the qualified college graduates who are looking for work. To make matters worse, the cost of living keeps increasing while wages are staying stagnant.
It is easy for young adults to feel defeated and overwhelmed if stable jobs have not yet materialized for them, especially if they feel that good jobs are going to less qualified people. Very often, a good resume and a successful interview matter more than the actual skills that one possesses.
Personality
Personality is a major factor in employee selection. Employers often choose people with friendly, easy-going personalities over those who might be more technically qualified for the jobs at hand. An applicant should indicate how well she gets along with others and respects the chain of command.
Willing To Learn
Employers like it when applicants are willing to learn and move beyond the specific job responsibilities of entry-level positions. An applicant should not mention any plans to eventually work in other industries or move to a different city. Employers will not hire people who are open about their lack of long-term investment in the jobs being filled.
Employment History
Employers do not like to see long gaps between jobs on resumes, and internships prove that the applicant is capable of doing long-term work. Young adults should keep interning after graduating, even if the internships are not likely to lead directly to employment.
Resume
An applicant should have several different versions of his resume on file. One version should be tailored toward finding work in her chosen field. She should include a written objective that includes the work experience and personal qualities that make her suited for the career she dreams of having. This resume will include all of her most prestigious internships and relevant extracurricular activities.
A second, more general resume should be crafted with entry-level office jobs in mind. Employers routinely pass over well-educated people with impressive work histories because their businesses have no use for the skills listed on those applicants’ resumes.
Read – How to Make a Perfect Resume
Listening
Good listeners get jobs more often then not. An applicant can make a good impression in an interview by making eye contact with her interviewer while he is speaking and repeating pertinent information when asking questions.
The most important thing for an applicant to do is send a follow-up email to her interviewer immediately after the interview. This note should thank the interviewer for the opportunity to become part of the team, and it should also include some details about the company to indicate the applicant’s interest in working there. This small courtesy goes a long way toward separating a recent graduate from the rest of her peers.
