Step 3: Apply for Jobs

Hey, you guys knew this was going to be one of the steps. We might as well get it out of the way early. The basics that we've all heard a million times in college and possibly even high school:

• Make a resume and keep it updated (seriously, keep it updated - it'll save time)
• Be professional
• Visit your career center
• Sign up for professional networking web sites, career finders, ect.
• Go to career fairs, and follow the proper protocol for following up with potential employers
• Network, network, network.

 And here are some of my personal tips:

• Don't apply for something that you don't really want. It took me two hours to apply for a single position. It's not worth your time to fill out an application for a job that you know you won't be happy at, even if you'll get a lot of money or you're a shoe in for the position.
• About a week after you turn in your application, if it's a job that you really really want, don't be afraid to contact the company if you haven't heard back from them. Sometimes you've got to be a little bit pushy to get what you want (but be polite about it!)
• Have an ultra-resume that has a list of everything you've ever done. And I mean EVERYTHING. My ultra-resume goes all the way back to when I was a Brownie in Girl Scouts. You never know when those good deeds from your childhood are going to come in handy, and it's much easier to cut and paste than to try to remember and re-write it.
• Tweak your resume and cover letter for every application so that you're sure your resume will reflect specific skills that each position is looking for.
• Keep a copy of each resume and cover letter that you send in. This will allow you to have a base for different kinds of jobs that you might apply for in the future. For example, I have one resume that I sent in to Wolf Park that high lights my experience working with animals and the environment and another resume for a position in college relations that shows my abilities as a writer. Depending on the type of job I'm applying for, I can pull up the appropriate old resume, take out old stuff, and put in new stuff. Save and repeat.

Now, I've only applied for seven positions in my short life (and gotten three), so here's my question for you (especially older, more experienced readers): What do you do to get the job?
And my challenge for you: When you do start your job hunt, honestly and truly, search for something that you at least think you'll enjoy. Even your dream job can get tiresome. I can't imagine starting at someplace that I knew I was going to be miserable at.