6 More Job Hunting Tips for New Graduates

Madison DuPaix from My Dollar Plan shared a very timely list with us today – 6 Job Search Tips for New College Grads.

Madison discussed some things to consider as near-graduates or recent graduates begin their job search, or are already deep in the job searching process but have not yet found luck. It’s a fantastic list!

It’s easy to get discouraged, and the job market is tough, especially in certain specific industries. But there is still hope. Inspired by Madison, I’d like to add 6 more things you can do to better your chances for landing a job.

6 More Tips for Graduates

1. Hone Your Online Identity. Social sites like Facebook, Twitter, My Space, and Linked In are great for establishing your online identity. Just don’t forget that anything you write online will be with you forever (even if you delete it later! – trust me). Don’t look at this as a roadblock; instead, think about what you want your future employers to see, and put it there – evidence of your character, work ethic, or time spent volunteering for good causes.
2. Fix Your Credit. If you think your potential employer won’t check your credit report, think again. More and more employers are using your credit score to determine your credibility. Whether there’s a correlation or not, the best thing you can do is to check you credit now and fix any potential mistakes, pay down debt, and make sure your payments are going in on time.
3. Consider Relocation. Be flexible when it comes to location, and new job opportunities may open up. The world is a limitless place – as long as we look beyond the borders of our local area.
4. Read Wisely. One of the best books for job-seekers has always been What Color is Your Parachute? It helped me when I was graduating from college, and it can give you timeless insights you are unlikely to find anywhere else.
5. Mind Your 80/20 (our friend, the Pareto Principle). If you’ve read Parachute (see item 4), you know what job-seeking methods work, and which ones are a complete waste of time. Relationships are still king, and novelty/impersonal methods (particularly anything involving the online world) are not yet accepted. Stop focusing on what won’t work and channel your energy to high-impact tasks.
6. Prepare for Unemployment. No matter how far your efforts take you, it’s possible that you’ll still find yourself unemployed after graduation. Don’t panic. Make sure you’re saving adequately into an emergency fund, use ways of finding cash quickly, and prepare to cover your own insurance costs. The Layoff Checklist is a good place to start. Just don’t forget – although your college just “laid you off,” you’re still job hunting at full-steam. Stay positive no matter what.

Do you have tips to share? Start the comment thread below!