I am a masters level career counselor. I am internationally certified as a Career Management Practitioner (CMP) by the Institute for Career Certification International and have been recognized as a National Certified Counselor (NCC) through the National Board for Certified Counselors.

Guide to Your First Job Search

Posted Thursday, April 7, 2016, at 7:30 PM

Whether you're searching for your first job or returning to the job market after a long absence, you might not know how to go about finding a job. Unfortunately rejection is always a part of the process, and you have to learn to face the facts that you're not going to get an offer each time you send out your resume. Even after an interview, the employer might hire someone else. It's important that you are determined and don't give up until you have a firm offer from an employer.

With the right mindset, you can start your job search, but before you can begin, you have to know the steps involved in a typical search. First, you'll have to prepare a resume and cover letter. Second, you'll have to apply for jobs, which also means knowing where to look. Lastly, you'll need to interview for your job including the follow up to an interview.

Preparing for the Job Search

The Resume

It can be tough to find a job when you've never had one. Almost every potential employer wants to see a resume. Instead of focusing on the common type of resume that lists previous experience, you'll have to be a bit more creative and write a functional resume.

A functional type of resume lists your skills and qualifications. You'll have to think about times you were working with others whether that's volunteering or as part of a school organization. Before starting your resume, think about the kind of experience you've had that can translate to relevant skills on your resume. If you're still having a hard time creating your resume, use a resume builder, especially if you are looking to create a pdf resume.

Cover Letter

Once you have a resume that you're satisfied with, you'll need to craft a cover letter. This shouldn't be a generic letter that fits every potential situation, but it should be one that can be altered for each position. The cover letter is what will get potential employers to scan your resume. It should be positioned to speak directly and specifically to each job posting.If the job listing mentions that they need a person with creative knowledge, you should speak to that in your cover letter. An employer will see a template cover letter for exactly what it is. You want to be noticed with your letter for the right reasons.

Looking for a Job Listing

Job Boards

The easiest way to find a job listing that will fit with your skills and desires is an online job board like Monster, Indeed or Jobs.com. The only problem with places like online job boards is that hundreds of people will be searching those specific boards in your area. That's a ton of competition for one job listing.

Newspaper Listings

While it may seem old-fashioned, there are plenty of employers who are still placing ads in the local newspaper. With this method, you'll have less competition for the job if they've only started their employee search in this manner.

Company Websites

If you have a specific company in mind, you can search their website for job opportunities. Some companies never use job boards or newspaper listings because applicants are always coming to them with resumes and interest.

Invitation to an Interview

The interview process can be incredibly intimidating. The first thing you need to realize is that you should be yourself. You should be a cleaned-up, professional version of yourself, but still authentic and real.

Research the Company

Before stepping a foot in the office to interview, you need to understand the company.You can't walk in with no knowledge of what they do. Find out about their business, and it'll help you sell yourself as the employee they need.

Plan Your Answers

Many employers ask common questions like "What would you consider your strengths and weaknesses?" and you should be able to answer that question in a way that makes sense, and doesn't cause them to not hire you.

After the Interview

Make sure to send a thank you email as a follow-up to your interview. It shows interest and is a courtesy they'll appreciate.

Your first job search can be intimidating, but with a great resume and cover letter, you can get in the door to many of the companies in which you'd like to work. Practice your interviewing skills with a friend or family member, so you'll be comfortable during that interview too.

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