It’s tough to get a job right now—especially for those between the ages of 20 and 24 years old. The unemployment rate for that age group is 8.6%, 57% higher than the national average.
So if you’re a recent college grad, or just a few years out of school, what should you do?
The Muse co-founder and CEO Kathryn Minshew gives us four inside tips for landing your dream job.
#1. Research a company’s website and follow their social media account.
“Before you even think about your resume or your cover letter, you should identify where you want to work,” said Minshew. “Go online and research companies you might be interested in and learn about them on LinkedIn, on the news, or on other sites. Follow their social media profiles.”
#2. Double check your social media profiles.
“I think that there's so much more information that as an individual you expect to get about a company. And a company, similarly, is going to Google you,” said Minshew. “They're going to look up your social profile so, as a candidate, it's really important to think about how you would appear online to an employer.”
#3. Don’t do the “spray and pray” approach; tailor your application.
“It's really important for millennials not to do the ‘spray and pray’ approach of applying to 100 jobs,” said Minshew. “Pick about 10 in a given time period and figure out how to tailor your application and your cover letter to show why you're a great fit for that position.”
#4. Be as specific as possible.
“No company wants to feel like you just want a job,” said Minshew. “They want to feel like you want their job, so I think showing that motivation and drive, and also that you've done enough research about the company [are important] to really convince them why you’re the right person for them.”
