How many times did you apply to the career portal for that exciting internship/job? And how many times did you hear back from the recruiter?
Perhaps, never.
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With thousands of people applying for the same role, somehow, the probability of you getting selected is diminished. Thus, your inbox implodes with thousands of rejection emails, and the vicious circle of applying and rejection goes on.
Job search is exhausting and challenging, but it shouldn’t be.
The global pandemic has become arduous, especially for recent graduates navigating the job market; with ATS [Applicant Tracking System] filtering and the resume ranking algorithm, it’s becoming challenging to apply for even internship roles.
So the first step is to make sure that your resume passes the ATS, which then will be screened by the recruiter, who will then shortlist top candidates for the role to the hiring manager, then followed by phone interviews, in-house interviews, and hire. All the above steps are futile if your resume doesn’t clear the screening.
Hence, it is imperative to structure your resume. How?
The first mistake we all make is to use the same resume for every job application. The trick is to have a master resume and then tailor your resume according to the job profile requirement.
Are you interested in a PM role in Microsoft? Make your resume align with the role requirements and show that you have skills affiliated with the role you seek.
Second, don’t make a resume more than 1 page. You don’t have to write your life story there. The most important thing is to quantify what you did, focus on result and impact. Make sure you can answer What, Why, and How.
Third, make sure that your LinkedIn profile and resume align with the same information. If you don’t have a LinkedIn profile, damn! Go and make one now; LinkedIn is highly vital in today’s world.
Another essential tool is GitHub, remember your GitHub profile is your niche to showcase your skills.
git commit -m “Start Side Projects”
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Once you are ready with your resume and LinkedIn, you have to focus on the role you are the best fit for and your targeted companies.
Most companies might not visit your university. Therefore, you have to network, reach out to people. LinkedIn is the free hack here.
Tip: Always write a personalized note while connecting with anyone.
For international students, it’s necessary to network with people who had a similar experience, and having a mentor would help. One important thing to keep in mind while contacting any recruiter is to make sure you include all the required information:
Who are you,
Any project/research/talk of them inspired you,
Tell them what you are looking for, attach the job profile you are interested in with your updated resume.
Because recruiters get thousands and thousands of messages, and when you include the above points, it is easier for them to get back to you.
Many career coaches out there in LinkedIn, IG, Clubhouse help students, people from non-traditional backgrounds break into their dream careers. Follow them.
The job search requires constant preparation and is challenging, but all you have to do is keep trying with the correct strategy.
