Good Morning Green Panda Readers and Happy Memorial Day to our friends in the United States.  We are almost into the month of June and for some of us it’s time to start looking for a summer job, internship, or volunteer position.  Gaining work experience while we are in school is a great idea because it gives us both work experience and a diploma to present to potential employers.

In a recent survey featured on MSN fifty-four percent of employers in the United States said that they plan to hire a recent university graduate this year.  This is great news for recent graduates because that number has increased over the last few years.  Recent university graduates can be very valuable assets to potential employers, but unfortunately they don’t always get the credit that they deserve because they are new employees.

On one hand recent graduates bring fresh ideas and new ways of thinking to the table that other employees who have been in the industry for a long time may not know or be aware of since they have been out of school for many years. However on the other hand recent graduates are just starting out in the full time workforce.  Therefore the cost for employers is a lot less in salary and benefits than it would if they hired a more experienced candidate.

If you are a student who is looking for an internship or if you are a recent graduate and you are searching for a job keep these tips in mind to help you get hired:

1. Narrow Down Your Search.  During the first round of your applications narrow down your search to jobs that you really want or to companies that you really want to work for. You will work harder for and be more enthusiastic towards employers that you really want to work for. If none of these applications turn into interviews or jobs then you can broaden your search to include different positions, locations, and employers.

2. Show Your Personality.  Your education and experience are just words on paper, they may help you get the interview but they won’t help you get the job.  Companies hire people not papers. If the decision comes down to you and another candidate who has the exact same experience and education as you do then it is your interview skills and personality that will get you the job.  Be professional but also be a person, smile and be friendly.  The interviewer has to like you in order to give you the job. Make sure to always be positive.

3. Be Enthusiastic.  If you really want this job then go and get it.  At the end of the day it’s not the tough job market, the interviewer, or the lack of potential from the other candidates that will help you get the job…it’s you.  So if you really want the job then show the potential employer that you want it and that you are the perfect person for the job. Highlight your skills, experience, and education.  Tell them why you would be a perfect fit into their company.

4. Make a Good First and Lasting Impression.  It is very important to research the company and even your interviewer before you meet them in person.  You want the interviewer to like you right from the start and you also want them to keep thinking about you after you leave.  Be sure to impress them with your knowledge of the company as well as your personality.

Photo by Victor1558

Tahnya Kristina

Tahnya Kristina

Tahnya is 30 years old and lives in Montreal Quebec. She graduated in 2005 from Concordia University, and she currently works for a major International Financial Institution. She recently launched http://www.mediamadam.ca/. You can follow her on Twitter @TahnyaP.