The Art of Landing your First Job out of College

Congratulations! You graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in “the fine art or science of something” and you’re moving up in the world. The biggest question most recent grads face is, “What’s next?” It is asked by friends, family, and family friends when they hear of your graduating and, though it has good intentions, we all know it gets old. But let’s face it, it’s a question we all internally ask ourselves when experiencing this stage of life. 

Graduating and landing your first full-time job out of school is as exhilarating as it is daunting. It’s as conventional as it is ambiguous. Truth is, the art of landing your first full-time job out of college breaks down into effort, diligence and time. You’ll get the job— you will, because you are capable enough to— but being realistic about where and what will help ease out of the ambiguous and overwhelming transition from structured education into the more offbeat, unexpected workplace. 

Step 1. Foster community and networking

Working diligently to establish an online portfolio, a resume or a personal/professional website can get your foot in the door and establish a sense of professionalism in representing yourself. Beyond this, and more specifically, you’ll want to create a LinkedIn profile. Creating a LinkedIn account sounds overrated, but it might be one of the best tools to have in your toolbelt. 

Creating a LinkedIn account is a professional platform that will allow you to tag on your resume and other portfolio pieces or online presence you might have. Networking from there is as simple as responding to a story on Instagram, but a bit more reputable. 

LinkedIn can be means of opening up opportunities you weren’t even aware of. Who knows what can come of it. And at the bare minimum— it shows that you have a desire to establish an online presence to represent yourself respectably and it shows that you are in the market to network, meet other professionals, help one another, and grow. 

Just ask our founders how they met! You’ll be glad you made a LinkedIn afterward.

Step 2. Create a killer resume + cater your cover letter

Developing a professional and functional resume is an essential tactic in the job hunt. Create a resume that is strong and punchy— meaning it gets right to the point of what you do or did for a job, so a potential employer can see at a glance what you contribute and bring to the table. We’re talking bullet points and action verbs. Don’t get wordy with paragraphs. Keep it short and powerful. 

Don’t underestimate the power of a good cover letter, either. Catering multiple cover letters with specific detail geared toward each specific employer will show that you’ve done your research, you take seriously the time involved in being personal and detail-oriented. Do research on who it is you are addressing in the cover letter, do research on the company and find ways to tie in your strengths with their beliefs. Cover letters should be no more than one page. We’ve done millions of one-page papers in college, right? This should be easy, then. 

Step 3. Master your personal pitch

If you could explain your major, your college education, or your experience and trade for that matter, and the ways you’ve used them already in a 60-second pitch, what would you say? 

Run with your first thoughts, put it together in a short, personable paragraph, and master it. It doesn’t have to be perfect, it doesn’t have to answer all the unasked questions, it just has to be true. Get your first draft out of your head and onto paper, and own it. Take your college experience and summarize it in two sentences, then add your major and elaborate another sentence on what that did for you beyond just education. How did you use your college education in ways outside the confines of a full-time job? 

Ponder it, say it out loud, pitch it, and master it. 

This is a beneficial tactic to get comfortable with. It not only allows you to practice condensing your interests, pursuits, and education into a concise and clear pitch, but it will be advantageous to you. You never know when you might meet a prospective employer, or small talk with a parents’ friend  who owns a company you’re interested in. Feeling comfortable with an “elevator pitch” will prove to the listener that you know what you’ve learned and how you intend on using what you’ve learned in your career pursuits. And, mastering a condensed pitch, extracting the extras and only including the purposeful, will provide you with peace of mind, clarity and confidence in exactly what you are searching for.  

Step 4. Do your research and expand your search

It might sound monotonous, but treat your job search like a job itself. Spend 5-10 hours a week (at least) dedicated to your job search. The hours you put in don’t always have to be applications you’re submitting. Sometimes spending time doing research on companies, scrolling through LinkedIn to find alumni or other connections at certain companies, writing notes of interest to connections or prospective employers can all be beneficial steps in your job search.

Researching companies will help you refine your applying process, and can lead to exponential opportunities, companies, or positions. The more research you do, the more leads, ideas, and opportunities you will get. 

In addition to research and applying for various positions, consider expanding your search beyond your comfort zone. Even if you don’t feel qualified on paper, send a personable note of interest and apply. Go for it. Any interview you get will be added experience to take with you to the next interview. Alternatively, expand your search on the opposite end of the spectrum, too. Look at companies or positions you may not previously thought about. We’re not asking you to lower your expectations, but we do encourage the value of being realistic in landing your first full-time job. And you never know who you’ll meet or what opportunities might come from expanding your search on both ends. 

Step 5. Start now

In other words… don’t wait. This won’t guarantee a job straight away, but it will alleviate stress, give you time to master the steps in this article, and might instigate momentum in networking, in opportunity, or in weeding out what you are and aren’t looking for.  Whether you’re a year from graduating or have been out of school for six months, start now. If you didn’t start the job search until after graduating, it’s okay. It’s not too late, but we do encourage you to start now. If you’re still in college enjoying your late nights and extracurriculars, and job searching feels too far off, that’s okay, too. We don’t want to rush you. But know it’s not too early to start your research, start cultivating connections, start developing your resume, or even start taking advantage of your college career center. 

Wherever you are, now is a good time to start.

Are you in the market for a job? Did you recently land your first full-time job? Let us know what tips helped you!