Everything You Need to Know to Apply for Your First Job Out of College

Congratulations college seniors—you’re mere weeks away from being done with school forever (or for now, at least). It’s time to celebrate, time to rejoice in the luxury of no more homework, and time to start the job hunt.

While some people hear “job hunt” and panic, you shouldn’t! As daunting as the process can seem, it is a process, and that means anyone can do it successfully. With that said, the first time can be a little overwhelming, which is where I come in—I’ve put together this guide of everything you need to send in your first application.

Let’s get started!

Step 1: Figure Out What You Want to Do

First up, the big question that has no right answer: What do you want to do with your life? Wait—before you fill in the blank, know this: You don’t need to figure out your life right now, just your first job (nothing’s permanent!).

If you have no idea where to even start, consider your favorite classes or discussions in college, activities and clubs you’re involved in, really anything you’ve enjoyed in the past few years. What issues get you riled up? What topics bore you to tears? Your initial responses to these should get you close to an industry, if not an actual title. You can refine it even more by asking yourself these questions from Muse writer Lily Zhang: What can I do to help other people? What does my ideal day look like? What do I find intolerable?

Still not sure? Take a look at the company profiles on The Muse and see what sounds interesting to you.

Step 2: Curate Your Online Presence

Now that you know what industry you’d like to go into, it’s time to start crafting your online presence to fit that. Because in almost every single field, you will be Googled by a hiring manager—and you don’t want them to see anything, say, your mother wouldn’t be proud of.

For starters, you’ll want to get your LinkedIn ready by writing an awesome summary highlighting your achievements, skills, and interests. Once that’s all set, you should plan on staying active and engaged on the platform—that means sharing interesting articles, connecting to people, and finding groups you feel comfortable participating in. You might also want to consider editing or privatizing other social media accounts such as Facebook or Instagram that you prefer to use more casually (again, think about your mom).

In addition, you should also consider launching your own personal website, whether it’s a blog or a portfolio. This is a fun and creative way to showcase your work, your hobbies on the side, or your personality—and a lot of times companies will ask you for these supplements in your application.

Step 3: Find Open Positions

So, where do you look to even find postings? My first go-to is www.jobsinnigeria.careers. Here, you’ll be able to search by industry, city, level (it’s safe to say you’ll be looking in the entry-level category), or individual companies.

In general, when scrolling through job openings, you’ll want to be looking for the same things you listed earlier in what interested you. For example, if you really want a company with a social mission, take a peek inside the office and listen to what employees say. But be aware of what the posting is looking for in you—if it says a candidate must be proficient in Python and you’ve never heard of that, maybe it’s not the right role for you (or, a sign you should take an online course before applying!).

And, if you’re going into a more niche field, try using specific job search websites that cater to that.

Credit : themuse.com