Although, once we get the desired title, the situation we find ourselves in is pretty far from what we expected. With scarce employment opportunities, the student job search is anything but easy. The best corporations don’t call us asking for our CVs like we are good professionals. We don’t become department directors after our first year of experience despite our impressive achievements. Or we aren’t awarded Employee of the Month as soon as we join a company. What we find is something more complex.
I say complex, but not impossible.
After finishing our studies we want to work at the job we have studied for, but we don’t know how to start. Here is the big question: And now what? Before we jump into the jungle looking for that job, we need to analyse our context:
- Professionally inexperienced
- High university qualification
- a lack of knowledge of the labour market
- a lack of knowledge regarding how to search for a job
- a lack of recommendations
- high youth unemployment rate
- maybe a second language
- frustration
- reluctance
- hopelessness
JUST STOP!
Our thought processes can’t be that one, just based on the negative points that we’re sold. Getting your first job is about taking advantage of what we have around us.
Four ways to find the first job you love
Today we offer you four tips for how to apply for your first job, and particularly, how to find the job you’ll love.
Want experience? Get an internship!
How do you get your first job with no experience? Well, you need to get some!If we have no experience but have high qualifications, we count on internship contracts, which are in high demand at the moment. They are not well-paid usually but are a wonderful source to acquire the experience that we need in order to get a labour contract in the future. We can find those internships offers through: job search sites, companies’ websites that are looking for junior profiles, public organisations, etc.
Want a job? Create your own!
A good alternative regarding the high youth unemployment rate is to become self-employed. It is necessary to have a good idea and knowledge, a good team, be optimistic and look for the cheapest options to achieve your goals. Slowly conditions for self-employed people are improving and the labour market seems to be progressing to support this new labour status. In my home country of Spain you must keep in contact with the treasury (called ‘Hacienda’), the social security system, the town council, labour organisations, etc. But the easiest and most comfortable way is to hire a labour advisor or accountant, as they do almost everything for you, and it´s worth it as you won´t pay fines because of your law ignorance. Also, the self-employment option will show that you are proactive, dynamic, you are not afraid of making decisions and taking risks.
Work that network!
References and networking work pretty well. It means that influencers introduce you to other acquaintances in order to help you get a brilliant job almost without effort. Although, the majority of the great employees that we see working in their companies didn’t count as influencers. They got the job because they deserved it. They were fighters, brave, they made themselves and oriented their efforts to get those wonderful positions. This means you can do it too. And even though they aren’t influencers in their respective fields, they are influencers within their companies.
And don’t forget to use LinkedIn as a way to leverage your virtual network and to get recommendations.
Follow your passion and go where the job is!
Furthermore, we should analyse that moving abroad or simply to another city is an option for the brave. No one is going to kick us out. We are responsible for finding our own changes. Leaving your comfort zone for a while is enriching in personal and professional terms. Many companies value it as well. It gives you the opportunity to learn from other cultures and their new ways of working, which can then be applied to other job opportunities.
We must go out into this new world believing in the challenge not in the defeat.
How did you find the first job you loved?
The question “And now what?” when you finish your studies must be a source of motivation. It is one of the best periods of your professional life when you´ll be more powerful, hopeful, passionate and willing to change the world. So use your high potential and key skills such as being organised, methodical, patient, optimistic and persistent to achieve that wonderful job that you have always dreamed of.
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