How do you market a college graduate?
So much time and energy is spent trying to graduate from college that there is little time to think about what happens next. College seniors begin job hunting before they graduate, but at that time, what do you have to put in your resume besides your grade-point average? Employers look at multitudes of applications from college graduates. You must market yourself as a way to set yourself apart from everyone else.
Create a Resume
To acquire a professional position you will need a resume. A resume isn't just a way to list your achievements; it's also a brochure that represents what you can offer the company. Begin your resume with your name and contact information. Include an objective that plainly states what you intend to do for the company. Include your educational background, your computer skills and your past employment history. Next to every job you have had, list all the skills you acquired and demonstrated during that time. Include a separate sheet for references. Professors and Department Heads make excellent references, provided you get their permission first. They may even write you a letter of recommendation, which you can include with your resume. Finally, type up a cover letter that introduces yourself to the company you wish to apply to and demonstrates a knowledge of what they do and why you would best fit the job.
Design a Personal Website
A website can be an excellent tool for marketing your skills to an employer. Not only is the Internet widely accessible, a website gives you the opportunity to display your creativity and add your own personality into the mix, but it also offers a way to display your work through uploaded files, videos, music or photos. Design your homepage with a professional feel. Make it dynamic and straightforward. List your contact information as well as a brief description of who you are and what you can do. Create a link for your resume as well as any other work you can display. While you are on the Internet, do a quick search of your own name to make sure that employers don't see anything you wouldn't want them to if they did the same search. Remove controversial material under your name from any social networking sites or other homepages you may have.
Assemble a Portfolio
A portfolio is a marketing resource that has stood the test of time. Artists and photographers always keep a hard-copy portfolio of their work to show potential clients. This method is a good idea for any job seeker. Purchase a leather-bound binder. Fill it with your resume and reference page and add any work that may be relevant to employment. This includes written essays, creative writing pieces and projects you have completed. Add your letters of recommendation and even copies of your report cards or evaluations. Put together a portfolio that illustrates who you are and what you have to offer.
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