HOW TO APPLY FOR A JOB
FIND A JOB THAT INTERESTS YOU
FIRST, ask yourself do I want to work full-time or part-time? When can I work so that I can balance my life commitments? Search for jobs in the field you are interested in. The most common place to look for job openings nowadays is the internet. A good place to start are websites such as Indeed. You can also ask family or friends if they know anyone who is looking to hire. There may also be job ads in your local paper. Finally, pay attention to local career and job fairs!
CHECK YOUR SOCIAL MEDIA
YES, employers do look at your social media to see what they can find. Now is a good time to check your social media, as sometimes hiring managers will search you online. Check your privacy settings and make sure the material you’ve posted is appropriately professional.
FILL OUT AN APPLICATION
Look for an application on the companies website or ask if they have one in-store if you notice a sign outside. Typically, there are many people applying for the same job as you, so you'll want to stand out. A few ways to do this are following up with a hiring manager about 2 weeks after submitting your application. This will give the hiring managers some time to sort through all the applications. If you have the email of the hiring manager, you can send them a follow up letter via email. You can also call the company and ask to speak with the hiring manager to ask about the status of your application. Finally, if you are turning in the application in-person make sure to look presentable and treat the employees with respect.
BE PATIENT, STAY CONFIDENT
Finding a job can be hard sometimes! It is normal to send out several applications and not hear back from any of those places. Do NOT get discouraged! Apply to as many places as you need to. If you don’t hear back for several weeks, regroup and reanalyze your applications and resume. Maybe you can add some experience and reapply. Or, maybe you just haven’t applied to the job that is the right fit yet! Be confident in your abilities, you got this!
PREPARE & SUBMIT AN APPLICATION
Once you find a job you want to apply to, get all your documents together for your application. Make sure your resume is up to date and is tailored for the job you are applying to (make sure to also check out our tab on “How to Build a Resume”). Some jobs also require a cover letter or references of people that can speak on your behalf for why you’d be a good employee. Examples of references might be a teacher you had, a former employer, a colleague you worked with, etc. Make sure there are no spelling or grammatical essays in your application, as this can come off as unprofessional.
MAKE CONNECTIONS
Connect with hiring managers and employees. Another great website is LinkedIn, a professional website where you can make a profile to outline your experience and accomplishments. You can connect with companies that you find interesting as well as hiring managers and employees. This is a great tool for networking and will help you make personal connections, which can make you and your application stand out. Speaking with employees can also help you get a feel for what it may be like to work at the company.
PREPARE FOR AN INTERVIEW
If the hiring manager thinks you’d be a good fit for the job based on your application, they might reach out to you to schedule an in-person, phone call, or video style interview. Some things that will likely be discussed at the interview include some general information to get to know you more, your prior work experiences or interests, and why you are interested in the company/ would you would be a good fit. Do your research about the company prior to the interview and come with any questions you have. Remember to look presentable, rehearse speaking confidently and slowly, think about what you might say. Here is a list of the most common job interview questions. Make sure to thank the interviewer for their time.