How to Stand Out From the Crowd as a New Graduate

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So you’re graduating? Well, so are all the other seniors at every other school. So how do you set yourself apart when it comes to the job market? How do you land that “dream job” when everyone else is heading for it too?

Know your brand

Who are you? How do people describe you? What missions resound with you? What kind of company would you fit in well with? When it comes to being a good fit for a job, you have to be able to communicate these things to the recruiter.

Do your research

Once you know where you’re headed and what you want to accomplish, research companies in your desired field. Learn what makes them tick and why you are a good fit. The more you research, the more you know. The more you know, the better you are at communicating why you’re a good fit for a company.

Get your resume reviewed

It’s easy to think that your resume is so awesome that nothing stands in the way of landing that job. However, most people don’t realize there is a “best practice” resume that recruiters seek. If you have all the experience in the world but can’t communicate it well through your resume, you may walk away with no interviews and therefore no job. Seek help with your resume (that’s one of the things Career Services is here for!) even if you think you know what you’re doing when it comes to resume writing.

Prepare for your interviews

Know what you’re going to face. There are some typical interview questions you can always prepare for (“Tell me about yourself,” “What do you see as your greatest strength/weakness?” etc.). Then when the random questions are thrown in, you aren’t caught off guard by the whole interview. Know the company and how to connect who you are as a professional with the company mission and values. This is crucial. You need to talk about your skills in the context of the job and company. (Check out my other article on preparing for interviews!)

If you want to set yourself apart from all those other graduates, take these steps and you’ll be well on your way. Some of this may seem mundane or pointless, but you will see the fruit of the preparation before you know it!

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