Spring semester is winding down, and you still haven’t landed a job. The horror! But it’s not too late for college seniors to position themselves for a post-graduate job. The key is to take advantage of on-campus resources while they’re still available.
Here’s how to find a job in your last month of college.
1. Don’t freak out. When it comes to the job search, “if you have not started the process yet, take a deep breath, make a plan and get going,” says Lynn Hansen, executive director of career services at the University of Central Florida. “It’s never too late to get started.”
While you missed fall employer recruitment visits, there’s still time to find a job, experts say. In fact, many smaller and midsize companies don’t have the manpower or time to recruit new graduates in the fall and are likely still looking for new hires. And there are always employers who fill jobs on a rolling basis, recruiting for positions only when they’re being vacated. Those employers may offer late spring job opportunities as well.
[Read: 10 Experts Share the Best Career Advice They Ever Received.]
2. Head to the career center. You may not be within spitting distance of your on-campus career office much longer, so schedule a meeting with a counselor there. Seriously. Do it now. This time of year can be busy, and the center may not be able to accommodate you right away.
Career advisors can help you format your resume, identify potential employers and practice interview answers. But they’re not miracle workers. “If this is the first time you’ve talked to someone, and you haven’t done what you needed to do to be competitive, there’s only so much we can do to make that resume look good,” says Keri Burns, director of career services at the University of West Georgia.
3. Expand your search. If you don’t have family obligations tethering you to home, look to a more robust job market elsewhere. “This is the time of your life — if you don’t have anyone depending on you — it’s one of those final years where you can live anywhere in the world or anywhere in the country,” says Liz Wessel, CEO and co-founder of WayUp, a job search site for students.
Students also sometimes stall their searches by focusing on out-of-reach companies or stratospheric job titles. “Keep your options open,” Burns says. “Don’t look at titles, but look at responsibilities.”
[See: 10 Things Your Mom Didn’t Teach You About Job Searching.]
4. Lock down social media. That keg-stand picture may have impressed your fraternity brothers, but it won’t wow your future boss. When it comes to your social media profiles, “hiring managers are looking at those,” Burns says.
Do a search to determine what’s available to the public — sites like Spokeo.com and Pipl.com can help you dig even deeper into the search results — and lock down anything you wouldn’t want your future boss to see.
5. Consider an internship. If a full-time job isn’t materializing, or you lack the professional experience to land one, consider taking an internship directly out of college.
Yes, internships are a luxury for some students, especially when they aren’t paid. But even working part time on top of a career-focused internship can help students earn money while getting a foot in the door and bulking up a slender resume. Plus, it could translate into a full-time gig since employers often hire standout interns.
[See: 8 Ways Millennials Can Build Leadership Skills.]
6. Take advantage of your student status. While you’re still on campus, reach out to professors and advisors for recommendations and job advice. Your classmates and dorm-mates can be helpful, too. Have a study buddy who landed an envy-inducing internship last year? Ask him or her for the inside scoop on applying to and interviewing with that company.
If you’re interested in asking a career idol or professional mentor to grab coffee and offer career advice, make the call while you’re still a student, experts say. “There’s something key about still being in student status,” Hansen says. After graduation, she says, that professional will no longer see you as a bright, eager student. Instead, he or she might just perceive you as an unemployed young person and might be less inclined to help out.
The bottom line is that there are loads of steps you can take to move along your job search. But make sure to take advantage of your soon-to-expire on-campus resources before you return home. Says Burns: “Don’t freak out, but start now.”
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College Seniors: Score a Job During Your Last Month Before Graduation originally appeared on usnews.com
