Advise for College Students Searching for Jobs

#1
tigervol9802

tigervol9802

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2009
Messages
10,404
Likes
6
#1
If you get an opportunity to meet people from a company that you think you may want to work for, take advantage of it, especially if your academic program has something set up for students during the job search process. And make sure you try meet someone with some influence in the interview selection or hiring-decision process. And make yourself stand out. There are too many good resumes and you need to make yourself stand out.

Oh yeah, and if you don't put a GPA on your resume, assume the person looking at it is going to think you have bad grades and not give it a second look.

That is all.
 
#5
#5
Follow up. Many people complain about lack of jobs, but lolligag through the process and don't follow up. Those that follow up will find jobs. Those that don't, won't.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#6
#6
Yes you have to be aggressive. As for the gpa issue, you should only put it on your resume if you are just trying to fill space. If an employer really cares about grades, then they can ask for your transcript. As for recent grads looking for a job, but can't find anything, then I highly suggest doing something/anything that will look good on your resume, like volunteering or working at an internship for free
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#7
#7
I'm a junior in college, but my advice is to get started early with internships/volunteering. I've been lucky enough to have an internship the last two summers in my field while also working in my field at school. I feel like this experience will pay off in a couple of years in a big way. Not only the work experience I get, but also the people I have met. Networking is huge as well.
 
#10
#10
Follow up after sending resume and email a thank you after interviews. Following up I believe helped me get my job now. I went through two interviews and didn't get the job. I kept in touch throughout the process and got a call a week after missing the first job with an offer for a new opening.

Like others said, make as many friends as possible. Act confident and interested in everything people say. Ask questions and be personable. Remember that even though interviews may seem intimidating, the interviewer is just another person like you. Be respectful and polite but don't be scared or reserved with them. Try to make a connection anyway you can with them.

To sum up, be confident, be interested, and be personable.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#11
#11
Just get Ben Affleck to represent you in the interview.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#13
#13
VolsNSkinsFan said:
Yes you have to be aggressive. As for the gpa issue, you should only put it on your resume if you are just trying to fill space. If an employer really cares about grades, then they can ask for your transcript. As for recent grads looking for a job, but can't find anything, then I highly suggest doing something/anything that will look good on your resume, like volunteering or working at an internship for free
Posted via VolNation Mobile
Click to expand...

If I'm searching through 50+ resumes and there's not a GPA on there, it's going in the shred pile, plain and simple. Easiest way to start trimming down the stack.

However, if I'm met you and think you re competent, I might look past it.
 
#16
#16
tigervol9802 said:
If I'm searching through 50+ resumes and there's not a GPA on there, it's going in the shred pile, plain and simple. Easiest way to start trimming down the stack.

However, if I'm met you and think you re competent, I might look past it.
Click to expand...

It's different everywhere you go.

At one of my previous jobs, I was involved in hiring, and they could care less about GPA. They pretty much only cared about previous experience.
 
#17
#17
tigervol9802 said:
If I'm searching through 50+ resumes and there's not a GPA on there, it's going in the shred pile, plain and simple. Easiest way to start trimming down the stack.

However, if I'm met you and think you re competent, I might look past it.
Click to expand...

It depends on the field and age of candidate. I haven't discussed gpa's with candidates, mainly since my reps have already been out in the work environment, and having a good gpa doesn't translate to the skills needed to succeed in my business. It doesn't hurt, but my 2 most successful reps were athletes that didn't finish their degrees.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
 
#18
#18
I've never cared about GPA either when hiring. I'll take a nose-to-the-grindstone type kid over a anti-social egghead anyday. But then again, I don't work for ORNL.
 
#19
#19
It drives me nuts but we get good companies to come to campus with jobs and our students say 'I don't think I want to work for them or in that industry' and never even sign up for an interview.

They also wait until 1 month before graduating to look for a job. We deliver companies on a silver plate and we can't get people to even talk to them.
 
#21
#21
The old adage, you have to have a job to get a job still applies. In other words, I'm taking a guy who is currently working at McDonald's over a guy sitting around sending out applications. I want someone that has already passed someone elses' test, even if it is minimum wage.

It helps to stop by and drop off resume's in person. Hard to do in this climate of on-line applications, but for smaller businesses, it can often lead to something immediately.

While waiting on your big break into the industry of your choice, use the staffing agencies (Randstad, Adecco etc) to fill temp jobs. This is an especially good way to get hired by the bigger corporations right now. Every corporation uses temps or complementary workers for all but their core functions these days. I work at a GSK facility and see a lot of temps do their 6 months at a lower level job and then get transitioned over to being a full time GSK employee.
 
#22
#22
Do whatever it takes to get work experience - internships, volunteer work, part time jobs. If you've worked your way through school, indicate it in your resume.

Make sure that your electronic profile is clean. We google everyone before deciding to bring them in for an on-site interview. I have seen some thumbs down for inappropriate content in their Facebook.
 
#23
#23
Phastalon said:
I've never cared about GPA either when hiring. I'll take a nose-to-the-grindstone type kid over a anti-social egghead anyday. But then again, I don't work for ORNL.
Click to expand...


Agree in my field. Give me a mature 21+ yr old with priorities in order, a good personality and great common sense to train and he/she'll be making 6 figures in anywhere from 2-4 years.
Problem is that I usually hire older because those aspects are hard to find in a younger candidate. I just ended one interview because the candidate wanted a guaranteed salary, all expenses, etc, and kept pushing for it, rather than asking questions about 3,6,9, 12 month possibilities, which include me adding products. I assume that some interviewing course suggested they push for it. I don't do that. The people I want don't focus on those things. They focus on busting their asses and seeing the big picture, which is a good living and free time during the day to take care of personal things, as long as business is rolling.
 
#25
#25
pl3 said:
It depends on the field and age of candidate. I haven't discussed gpa's with candidates, mainly since my reps have already been out in the work environment, and having a good gpa doesn't translate to the skills needed to succeed in my business. It doesn't hurt, but my 2 most successful reps were athletes that didn't finish their degrees.
Posted via VolNation Mobile
Click to expand...

Im talking fresh out of college. Once you have experience, GPAs mean nothing.
 
New posts
You must log in or register to reply here.

VN Store



Back
Top