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Four Things I Wish A Recruiter Told Me

Estimated reading time ~ 3 min
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College student searching for jobs (CC: Adobe Stock Image)

During my senior year at Hampton University, I spent so much time applying for roles that I obviously was not qualified for. My method was that if the role looked interesting and was located in Washington, D.C. or New York City, then it was fair game. Did it really matter that I didn’t have four years in media relations or two years of client-facing experience?

In my mind, my internships counted as professional work experience, but I was quickly shut down as one rejection email after another hit my inbox. I realized I needed to change my strategy to one that ensured that I was working smarter, not necessarily harder.

Image from iOS Tiara Budd and friends at Hampton University

If I could have chatted with my younger, less experienced self, here’s the advice I would’ve given her to ensure she didn’t spend her entire second semester of senior year applying for roles that didn’t make sense.

Tailor Your Resume and Ditch the Cover Letter

I can’t tell you how much time I spent dedicated to painstakingly tailoring my cover letter for every single role I applied to, only to receive an automated email rejecting me from the position a week later. Many companies consider cover letters archaic and old-fashioned (Google even says that a cover letter isn’t needed in its applications, since your work speaks for itself) and won’t take a second glance at them. Instead, put that effort into tailoring your resume for the position you’re applying for.

Make Your Network Work For You

Using your network to your advantage is super important when it comes to searching for your next role. To this day, I still keep in contact with the woman who helped me land my first internship in college and she has helped me find opportunities after graduating. Beyond that, I’m constantly finding people on LinkedIn who went to school with me or come from a similar background and connecting with them. The power of a LinkedIn connection could be more valuable than you think, especially when you’re looking for internal referrals or insight into companies.

Highlight Your Volunteer Work

In the beginning of my career, I didn’t have much professional experience, but I was involved in organizations and volunteered for many opportunities at school. I made sure to highlight the fact that I was in numerous clubs and organizations throughout undergrad and would often speak to my volunteer experience during my interview process. This was helpful in showcasing that I was well-rounded and also held leadership positions that could translate to valuable skills for the workplace.

Get Digital!

I’m a huge fan of displaying your work online and sharing with hiring managers after your interview. Back when I graduated, I used to lug around a huge portfolio that demonstrated how skilled I was in marketing and communications. Hiring managers loved seeing me flip through the pages to show them how I had created a marketing plan or used my graphic design skills to publish a magazine. Now that it’s 2019, I would recommend always making sure that your personal brand is searchable and compelling. If you write articles in your free time, share them on LinkedIn! Want to speak about a huge campaign you worked on that generated tons of impressions and views? Put it on your website! There are so many great ways to prove why you’re the absolute best candidate for the job and now is the perfect time to get started.

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