Use These Secrets to Get the Ideal Job After Graduation

Anticipating finding a job after graduation, but anxious that it will be an overwhelming process? It doesn't have to be. The following are the best things to do to secure a job when you graduate.

Have a good attitude. 

Even if you are academically ready for the job, it is important to remember there are less tangible qualities, like attitude, that are just as important. You can't expect a job to just fall out of the sky. You need to keep yourself motivated to find one. When you get leads, be sure to show your confidence, and that you are excited about the job and what you have to offer.

Cultivate contacts 

You might have heard that old saying that it is not what you know but who you know. Never has this been more true as in today's job market. It is important, then, to develop relationships. Make as many contacts as possible and work your system of contacts; network. Remember not to be someone you're not. Just be yourself. After all, the real you is who they will be working with. While you're at it, show off the qualities that you bring to the table. Also, show that you are worth their while-ask appropriate questions, be respectful, and demonstrate a willingness to help them out in return.

Create a strong resume 

If you wanted to invite people to your house, would you want the front area to look shabby and inhospitable? Of course not. By the same token you want to be sure you make a good first impression with your resume. Remember you only get one chance to make a good first impression. Keep it to one page. In today's world, employers don't have time for long resumes. Keeping it brief shows you respect their time. Be sure to highlight accomplishments and how they have added value to the organizations for which you did them. If you were the president of the class council, for example, you might highlight that you helped raise a school record-breaking amount f money for charity, or that you organized the most popular school dances in years.

Show professionalism 

First impressions are very important in an interview. A prospective employer doesn't know that deep down inside you are a good person and a hard worker. She will form her impression from your initial appearance. Be sure to have your hair neatly kept. Keep it well-styled and sharp. Dress well, also. It is better to be over dressed than under dressed. Make sure your appearance is neat and clean. Don't forget to make eye contact when interviewing. Carry at least one copy of your resume with you to give out to your prospective employer, even if you already sent it.

Manage your "brand" 

Just as a brand manager for a company jealously guards how that brand is perceived and how it is used, you must guard your image as a "brand." Be aware of your appearance in social media (yes, this means avoid pictures of yourself at the most recent wild party put on by your friends). Keep track of what is said about you online and what electronic bread crumbs you have left behind. Google yourself and search social media sites to find out what has been said about you, where your name or pictures have appeared, etc.