WATCH: Job search tools for students and recent grads with Steven Rothberg, College Recruiter’s Founder and Jo Weech, Global Head of People & Talent

Recently, College Recruiter’s Founder and CVO, Steven Rothberg, sat down with Jo Weech, the Global Head of People & Talent, to talk about updated job search tools for students and recent grads. Finding a job in 2022 has become a full-time job in itself. Jo Weech says it’s important to create a plan in order to optimize the process. Here are some key points to help you enhance your job search:

• Jo recommends that students and recent grads should be using College Recruiter for their job hunt. She says It’s a great resource as employers are using College Recruiter to look for entry-level candidates.

• A resume should be used to entice a recruiter into calling you. Make sure that you are showcasing your matching skills to the position in order to secure that callback.

• The ATS or Applicant Tracking System, does not reject your resume. But, be aware that if an employer gets 300 people applying to one role, they will simply do a keyword search, and resumes with a denser amount of those keywords will be at the top of the list.

• Here are a few resources to assist with the ATS: Jobscan.co is used to check keywords that are missing from your resume. Resume Worded offers help with tone and verbiage based on the job listing. Jobseer.ai shows a certain percentage of your resume that is a match to the job description and what adjustments to make in order to become a better match.

• Jo goes on to highlight the effectiveness of the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) for interviews. She says to think back to achievements in past roles and to make sure to show the interviewer quantifiable results. If you don’t have a lot of job experience, think back to projects you’ve worked on for classes or even volunteer experience.

•  Cover letters should not be written as a letter! This is where you can show the employer why you are the best person for the job. Consider using the cover letter as a bio where you can highlight relevant experience and draw attention to transferable skills.

• Males will apply to roles they are 50% qualified for, while women only apply to jobs that they are 90-100% qualified for. Jo suggests if you are over 70% to apply anyways!

• Jo Weech highly recommends having a professional presence on various social media platforms, as this is a way recruiters find candidates. Perhaps consider using two different profiles, one for personal use and one for professional use.

• Have a social media strategy for your professional social media accounts. You should engage with companies and professionals within the industry you are interested in. This brings credibility to you and your personal brand.

Jo leaves the College Recruiter audience with encouraging words that the right job will materialize, and although it may not be your dream job it can assist you in getting one step closer.