3 Top Tips For Your Job Search

As you know, we’re all about the job search here at Katapult Network and with spring semester coming to an end, entering the job search may be top of your mind as well.

 

Whether you’re on the hunt for a summer internship, looking for your first professional job, or considering a change there is a lot to do to get ready for job applications.

 

From writing cover letters to updating your resume, practicing interview questions to picking an interview outfit, being ready for each part of the journey is the best way to ace an interview and get the job of your dreams. So how do you get ready? 

 

There are so many steps that go into a successful job search, it can be hard to know where to start. But before you begin hitting that “apply now” button here are 3 top tips for starting your job search!

 

1. Update your resume

An outdated or poorly formatted resume can sabotage your search. Ask a trusted friend or relative to read through your resume and give their honest feedback on ways to improve it. No matter how good your resume is, it can always be improved. 

 

Key Resume Considerations:

• Don’t be fancy. Keep the format simple with no graphics, photos, or complicated layouts. You have 4-6 seconds for the hiring manager to find the information they’re looking for. Avoid making it hard for them. 
•  Show, don’t tell your skills. Avoid wasting space with a “Skills” section unless you have specific hard skills you need to show (like programming languages, software expertise, or language fluency). Describe your skills and how you used them in the bullet points for each job. 

 

Always share your resume in PDF format with “your full name + resume” as the document name. 

 

2. Create a cover letter template

Customize it for each application. Your cover letter is a space to talk about things you can’t illustrate through a resume. Keep it short, to the point, and avoid making it a preview of your resume. If you’re not tailoring every cover letter to the job you’re applying for, you’re better off not including one at all. 

 

 3. Practice, practice, practice

You can never practice interviewing too much. Whether you’re doing a full mock-interview or just running through some common questions the more comfortable you are talking about yourself and your experiences the better. If you’re looking for some guidance on how to answer common interview questions, check out our YouTube page!

 

There is no one perfect way to begin your job search, but starting with these three steps can help to get you the job you want, faster! And always remember, Katapult Network is here to be a resource for you. We work with over 200 companies in the Twin Cities area and beyond – let us know if you (or a friend) want to launch their career with Katapult or if our 3 top tips for starting your job search were helpful!