I often get personal emails from great students and recent grads looking for advice on their job and internship search. I love answering the emails personally, but also ask permission to share the question and answer when it’s an especially important question.
Thank you to Anna for inspiring this post.
Hi Emily,
As an almost second semester senior, I am just starting out on my job search which is both exciting and terrifying at the same time! I get all the weekly job postings emails from FindSpark which are awesome.
One of the problems I’m encountering is that although I’d love to secure a job now most companies are looking for people to fill positions immediately and I don’t graduate until May. Do you recommend applying for these jobs anyway or do you think I should wait a little bit and start once the time comes closer? Thanks so much! I look forward to attending more of your events once I am back in NY from school!
Sincerely,
Anna
Dear Anna,
Thanks so much for reaching out, that’s an excellent question. If
the listing doesn’t say for immediate hire or list a specific start date, apply. Make sure that you note in your cover letter or resume that you’re graduating in May so your application isn’t misleading. The hiring process can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months. Even though you have some time left at school, if you’re a good fit and submit a stellar application, the company may be willing to wait for you.
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For example, I met my first employer at a job fair the April before I graduated and I wasn’t offered the position until mid-July. The process included a resume critique from the HR Director whom I met at the fair, interviews with four different people on two separate days, and they even changed the job title at one point.
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If you land the interview but they decide they need someone sooner, you just made a fantastic connection that could lead to other opportunities in the near or distant future. Interviews are never a waste of time!
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Also, instead of looking for postitions…start researching companies and people you’d love to work for and get as many
informational interviews as possible. Look at the
LinkedIn profiles of people who are in positions you’d like to have, see what they did while in school, and do your best to learn the skills and get the experience needed to land a similar job.
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Thanks again for reaching out! Hope to see you at one of
our events soon.
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Sincerely,
Emily Miethner
Founder, President
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