Land a Job During Your Last Semester of College

Graduation caps will be thrown into the air in less than a month and you’ll be stepping into the working world. Maybe you’ve heard friends talking about how they’ve secured jobs and are wondering what you can do to step up your job search efforts. Don’t panic! It’s not too late to land a job before graduation. Check out some tips to land your job:

- Network – Stay in touch with people from your internships. These people know your work ethic, skills and accomplishments, and are good resources to open positions at the company as well as in the field. If you’re currently in an internship, exchange contact information with your supervisor and colleagues, and express your interest in securing a job. If your internship was during a previous semester, send that supervisor an email or call to let them know how much you enjoyed the internship, what you’ve learned, and how you hope to move forward with finding a job in the field. It’s ok to ask for help!

- Use LinkedIn – LinkedIn is the go-to social networking site for business professionals. For anyone looking for a job, having an updated profile is key to getting yourself connected. Think of your LinkedIn profile as a more elaborate version of your resume.

Start by telling your story in the Summary section. What type of skills do you have and why do those skills matter? How are those skills going to make a difference to the future people and company you work with? This is the first thing people read, so take time to put effort into telling your story and how it relates to your desired career path. 

Post a professional-looking profile picture. Dress as you would for a job interview and ask a friend to take a head-shot photo against a neutral background. No selfies! 

Fill out your profile completely with all internship, volunteer and job (summer, part-time, full-time, seasonal) experience. Include affiliations, campus involvement (clubs, activities, leadership roles), conferences attended, certificates and languages. 

Create a meaningful headline. Your headline does not need to be a job title. Instead, take the opportunity to tell the world a how you see your role and why you enjoy what you do. 

- Use the Career Center’s services – Hofstra’s Career Center is here to help! Make an appointment by calling 516-463-6060 or schedule online via The Career Hub, or come during Quick Questions (M-F 10am-11am, 2pm-4pm). The Career Center can help prepare you to tell your story on a job search (including interviewing, resume, cover letters, applications, and more).

Check out Handshake for more than 11,000 job postings and events such as informational sessions with employers, on-campus recruitment tabling and networking events.  Don’t give up—keep moving forward towards your dream job and know the Career Center is here to help.

Good luck!
Jennifer Fragleasso, External Relations Coordinator