When you try to craft a dozen well-thought-out applications for prospective employers while also submitting school assignments on time, do you find yourself all over the place? It’s not surprising if you do. But while balancing your time in school and planning ahead for your career isn’t easy, it’s not impossible to achieve.
So instead of running everywhere all at once, start with a solid plan of action – though you’ll still need to put in the effort to follow through – to better manage your time and priorities to reach your goals. Here are some things you should put into your action plan to better prepare yourself when it comes to creating job applications!
Prepare an “All-About-Me” document
This is a simple, useful document that holds information about you. The concept’s more like an idea bank – a place you can revisit after crafting your resume and cover letters. Even better, there’s no need to kick up a fuss about making this document pleasing to the eye – it’s for your reference only. You can even keep it unformatted if you like! It’s best to review this document every few weeks to keep your details up-to-date.
Update often
Never stop polishing your various forms of written applications so you won’t be left panicking when the time comes to submit them. Although many often leave applications to the last minute, if you rush through, you have a higher chance of making mistakes.
If you only have 10 or 20 minutes to spare, keep it simple by making a priority list and read over your All-About Me document, this gives you the chance to add something new if you feel like you need to. You can update your resume with your All-About-Me document right next to you, while proofreading and fine-tuning an existing application if you have already started on one. This will help set the stage for your employer research, starting with those who provide the most information about themselves.
For those who have 30 minutes to an hour, you may draft a new cover letter for each position, take time to read up about your chosen career sector in the news, and use the time to thoroughly proofread your resume. Visiting a career services centre and attending a session with your advisor is also a valid option, that can help set you on the right path and avoid any common mistakes that most people make.
That being said, if you’re short on time, make sure to focus on the critical pieces of information that would really make you shine with the employers that you are planning to apply to. Once that’s done, remember to review the content. This allows you to ensure that it's holistic and relevant, while offering you the opportunity to add something new should the need arise.
Be positive and keep applying
Remain upbeat when applying for jobs even if you have a high chance of rejection – you aren’t the only one applying! Do your best in any interview session, and remember there’s no need to feel disappointed if it isn’t followed by an offer letter. Keep in mind that at the end of the day, you’ll be able to get a job that’ll suit your personality and skill set.
Get a foot in
It can be frustrating if you don’t get an offer letter from your desired company, but if another job in the same industry comes your way – perhaps from a company or for a position you’re not particularly enthusiastic about – what do you do?
Gaining experience is definitely high on the priority list, but at the same time, nothing about the job might actually be your cup of tea.
One solution to this is to take the offer that comes your way. As difficult as it may sound, it’s not so bad when you realise that you’ll be able to pick up or hone skills. For instance, if you’ve applied for a business development position but end up getting a marketing role, grab it!
You’ll not only pick up tech-savvy skills such as creating online marketing brochures to sell a particular product, but you’ll also have the opportunity to build your network, something which can come in useful later in your career.
