Step 1: Just Start!

The hardest part is to just get started. It's never too early to start looking for your first internship or entry-level position. You need a job and you know it, so do yourself a favor and stop putting it off!

Make a serious commitment to your job search. Many people who are mid-career treat their job search just like a full-time job. They get up in the morning and instead of going to work they spend all day searching and applying. As a student with a full class load, you might not have this luxury. Still, you need to make your job...

Step 2: Build Your Brand

A strong personal brand will get you noticed by employers. Building your personal brand takes time and effort, but will pay dividends later on when you start networking and applying.

Be visual. You might think this is unnecessary. What really matters is what’s in my resume and cover letter, right? Yes, that’s all very important. You can’t just put lipstick on a pig. But with today’s digital tools there is no reason you can’t separate yourself with a strong brand. It shows confidence, personal pride,...

Step 3: Your Resume 2.0

First things first—stop thinking of a resume as a burden, and start thinking of it as an opportunity. It’s an opportunity to make you stand out over all the other applicants and their burdensome resumes.

Your resume is yours. There is no right or wrong way to write your resume. There are, however, some guidelines we strongly recommend if you do want to get the job. Ultimately though, what you do with your resume is your decision. Remember that.

Use your branding. In...

Step 4: Effective Networking

More people find a job through their personal network than by any other means.

That makes networking the single most important thing you can do in your job search. Not to mention that networking now will teach you important skills that will help you excel in the workplace.

The challenge, as a college student or a recent grad, is that you have a limited professional network. That’s OK. You just need to leverage the contacts you do have. Start with the list of connections you made in...

Step 5: Start Your Search

Finally! You’ve developed your personal brand and your resume is ready to go. It is time to start searching.

Actively searching for job posts online is vital to finding a job. This may seem obvious, but it’s often overlooked. Employers aren’t going to randomly stumble across your new website, download your resume, and call you to set up an interview. You need to be proactively looking for potential employers.

Pick job boards that work for you. To keep your search simple, find a set...

Step 6: Time to Apply

The application is your first point of contact with your potential employer. It’s also the only information used to determine if you’re one of the select few to get an interview or one of many to be placed in the no-go pile. Better get this right.

Always include a cover letter. Again for emphasis – you will always include a cover letter with your application. The cover letter is the best opportunity to set yourself apart and show how you would excel at this job. Some applications require a cover letter. Some don...

Step 7: The Interview

Getting an interview is exciting, but it’s not time to celebrate yet. There is still much work to be done. It’s not as easy as just showing up and answering questions – you need to do a lot of preparation. But if you put in the work beforehand, you’re giving yourself a great chance to get a job offer.

Research the company thoroughly. You want to familiarize yourself with the company as much as possible. It will make it easier to understand your interviewers when they describe details about the company and the job....

Step 8: The Follow-up

With the interview over you can finally relax, right? Not so fast.

There are several post-interview actions that will help you get the job and perform better in the future. You may think this is no big deal, but we can’t stress the importance of this step enough. You’ve worked hard to get this far – don’t drop the ball now!

First and foremost is thanking your interviewer. Sending a thank you follow-up to your interviewer is so easy, yet it is often overlooked. The truth is it’s absolutely...

Step 9: Accept and Celebrate!

At last! The finish line is right around the corner. You’re getting an offer (or offers!). Now it’s time to accept one and start your new job.

If you followed Step 8: The Follow-up you have already been considering if this is a position you want. If you don’t feel confident about the job being a good fit, then you should pass. This might be hard, but you will be thanking yourself in the long run. You owe it to yourself to not be miserable at your...