4.2 Handshake and LinkedIn for Your Job Search
4.3 Fine Tune your Skills and Materials
As you begin your full-time job search process, the tools you have become familiar with over the previous three steps will take on a new importance, and new strategies will be needed. Handshake and LinkedIn can both be valuable resources for locating opportunities and maintaining your network. Handshake Handshake has a variety of features that can be helpful as you begin looking for your first destination after graduation, including employer profiles and a jobs page. To take full advantage of the power of Handshake, it’s important to have a complete profile and to keep your interests section up-to-date. As you share more information with Handshake regarding your experiences and goals, the recommended jobs become more tailored to you, and it also gives employers more information about you when you apply for their positions. LinkedIn LinkedIn will allow you to take advantage of very similar features in showing your experience and interest to employers and allowing you to search for positions. The key to making your presence on LinkedIn most impactful is engaging with your groups and connections actively. Sharing knowledge from your classes, recent news in your field, and updating your search process are all great ways to share with your network and show your fit in the professional community. Engaging in professional groups can also provide you with new connections to benefit your career long term.
As you begin your final steps toward reaching your first destination after graduation, it’s important to make sure that you and your materials are ready for the job search and interview process. Here are some last-minute tips to get you there: • Make sure to seek feedback on your resume and cover letter from a Career Coach or someone in your field and make any necessary edits. • Research your industry to learn if a CV (curriculum vitae) is needed when applying to positions. See the Academic and Career Advising Center website for resources on converting your resume to a CV, and schedule an appointment with your Career Coach for individualized help. • Practice interviewing more than once. Big Interview is a great resource for virtual interviewing help. Seek out opportunities to practice in-person interviewing with someone who will give you honest feedback. • Treat all networking events and opportunities as if they are a job interview to become more comfortable in formal interview settings. The more you practice answering interview questions, the more confident you will become in answering questions about your skills, strengths, and experiences.
The most important thing to remember in the job search process is to regularly reflect on how the process is going and adjust accordingly. If you are not hearing back from employers, have someone in the field or your Career Coach look at your resume and see if you can fine-tune it a bit more. The same can apply to interviewing. Always reflect after an interview about what went well, how you may approach a question or situation differently, and if you would accept the position if it was offered based on what you know.
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