Getting Your First Job For Dummies

Roberto Angulo

• Publisher: For Dummies
• Year: 2017
• ISBN:
  9781119431336
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Personal Development
• Subtopic: Careers

Find—and land—your first job!

Finding a job can seem daunting, especially when it's a brand new experience. There's a lot to know, and often a lot of pressure. Written by the founder of AfterCollege.com, Getting Your First Job For Dummies is designed to take the stress out of the job search process and help you get an offer.

In this book, you'll discover how to identify your talents and strengths, use your network to your advantage, interview with confidence, and evaluate an offer. Written in plain English and packed with step-by-step instructions, it'll have you writing customized resumes, conducting company research, and utilizing online job search sites, faster than you can say 'I got the job!'

• Determine what kind of job suits your interests and skills
• Write a compelling cover letter
• Know what to expect in an interview
• Effectively negotiate an offer

Whether you're still in school or navigating the world as a recent graduate, Getting Your First Job For Dummies arms you with the skills and confidence to make getting your first job an exciting and enjoyable process.

Part 1

Preparing Yourself Before the Job Search

IN THIS PART …

Set objectives and use the right tools as you embark on finding your first job.

Take an inventory of your skills and abilities so you can highlight them on your résumé and in your interactions with employers.

Learn more about yourself and get a better idea of what you might like to do by using online assessment tools.

Discover different career paths by talking to others about their work and researching occupations.

Chapter 1

Mapping Out Your Job Search Strategy

IN THIS CHAPTER

Setting expectations for your search

Creating a road map for finding your first job

Using tools that will keep you organized

What kind of job are you looking for and what do you want to get out of it?

Your answers to these questions determine how long it will take you to find your first job. They also establish what you’ll need to do to get the job. For example, if your goal is to get part-time work, of any kind so you can earn some money, then you don’t need to do a lot of research. For the most part, it’s about going to places like Starbucks and Applebee’s to fill out applications. It may take you a few days or a few weeks to get a part-time job.

On the other hand, if you have a plan in mind, where you want a highly coveted job after college and you know you’ll have competition, then you have to start thinking about the internships you need to have in order to improve your chances of getting that job. It may take you up to three months, and sometimes even a year and a half to land the job you like, depending on whether you have relevant experience.

Even entry-level jobs sometimes require experience. This is a Catch-22. You’re looking for your first job, but you need previous experience. Internships are a perfect way to gain this experience!

This chapter talks about the various types of first jobs you can have. You also get an overview of tools to use to stay organized.

Getting Your First Part-Time Job

Your first job will most likely be a part-time one, as is the case for the majority of us. My first job was as an office assistant for the library director’s office at Stanford University. I got this job my freshman year. It paid well and it was on campus, close to my dorm and on my way to classes.

The work involved delivering interoffice mail and submitting expense reports to the travel office. I also made photocopies and did office-related work that needed to be done.

Part-time jobs abound. They can be in an office setting, in a retail location such as Walmart or Macy’s, or in the food service industry at locations such as Starbucks, In-N-Out, Panda Express, and other similar businesses.

Although not glamorous, part-time work provides you with at least these three benefits:

• Money: This is the obvious benefit. Unless you’re volunteering for a nonprofit, you need to get paid for your time and effort. A part-time job gives you spending money.
• Flexibility: This is one of the key benefits, especially if you’re in school or have other obligations. While you’re in school, your focus should be on your education and not so much on work. A part-time job gives you the flexibility to earn money on a schedule that fits around your classes.
• Work ethic: This is often an understated benefit, but your first job is also the way you learn about the value of working hard and working with others. A job also forces you to be on time and teaches you to deliver on your commitments. Future employers will infer you have these qualities when they see your work experience.

An employer looking at two almost-identical résumés will most likely pick the one with the previous work experience, regardless of the work, compared to the one that doesn’t have any work experience.

Getting part-time work is usually easier than getting an internship or a full-time job. You can either walk in and apply in person or go online and submit an application. It may take you a few days or two to four weeks to find a part-time job if you focus on it. And the less picky you are about the job, the more likely you are to find one sooner.

Some employers will require a résumé while others won’t. Either way, make sure to have your résumé handy in case the employer asks for a copy.

Check out Chapter 8 for help with crafting a great résumé.

Securing Internships

Having at least one internship under your belt will greatly improve your chances of getting a good job when you graduate from college. According to AfterCollege, doing at least one internship while in college means you’re six times more likely to have a job lined up by graduation compared to those who didn’t have any internships.

Internships add experience to your résumé and they help you get in the door, especially at highly coveted employers. Here are some of the things you get with the right internship:

• Gain experience. They give you relevant knowledge in a field or industry. This helps convince employers down the line that you have relevant knowledge, improving your chances of getting a great first job.
• Try before you buy. Hopefully you have great internships and value the experience you gain. But if you don’t have a good experience, this is still okay. An internship lets you figure out what an employer is like or what an entire industry is about. It gives you a reality check so you can make sure you want to pursue the path you’ve put yourself on. If you like the employer and the industry, you can keep moving forward with confidence. If not, then you have time to consider a different path and different employers before you graduate.
• Get your foot in the door. Some employers also like to try before they buy. They invest time and resources into creating internship programs that serve as pipelines to hire new college graduates. Often, an internship can serve as your ticket to a full-time job after you graduate. So, if you have a company you really want to work for, focus on getting an internship there.
• Make contacts. A good internship allows you to develop professional relationships with fellow interns and with the employer. If you do a good job and like the employer, you may get invited to apply for a full-time job upon graduation. You may also make contacts who can recruit you into other organization...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Table of Contents
• Introduction
• Part 1: Preparing Yourself Before the Job Search
• Part 2: Starting Your Job Search
• Part 3: Navigating the Application Process
• Part 4: Acing the Interview and Getting the Offer You Want
• Part 5: Starting Your First Job
• Part 6: The Part of Tens
• About the Author
• Advertisement Page
• Connect with Dummies
• End User License Agreement