I love this time of year, there’s something to be said about December grads looking for work in the new year, when your job search process is just starting in the Fall (your last semester of college). I took 51 or something credit hours my last year of college because I just wanted to get out into the work force, but I wish I started looking around and applying way sooner. Not necessarily to fill the open roles… but just to start to have conversations with professionals and see where my skill levels fell in comparison to other candidates they were seeing. So! Here are my top tips when it comes to applying for work post-grad for your first or second big kid job!

1. You should have a portfolio put together. No one talks about this enough, but in marketing a portfolio is the equivalent of how artists have one. It showcases what you’ve done, what the vision was, and your level of experience all in one.
2. Next up, you should get a polished, clean looking headshot. I’ve always created content, so I always had good photos on hand, but I really think it makes companies and recruiters take you that much more seriously!
3. Third most important thing, is to Google yourself and just see what comes up online. Are you proud? Could it impact employment? Is there anything showing you want to take down? A simple Google search is one of the first things someone hiring you is going to look at to determine if you’re the right candidate or not.
4. Outside of all the prep work that goes into applying, have you written your ideal job description or 5 year plan? What do you need from your first job to get where you want to go next? Are you scheduling content, actually designing it, client facing? So many questions to ask, but if you outline out the ‘perfect’ job
5. When you narrow down positions, honestly pay for LinkedIn Premium.. you get insane insights on how you qualify, what they’re looking for, & where they’re at in the process.
6. Next best thing you could do is to start going to networking events! Sounds so cliché but I wish I went to more. CU Denver offered some many community contacts and opportunities to get to know others at various organizations Downtown. It really allowed you to grab coffee with whoever and they all wanted to mentor you and see you succeed!
7. Also… connect to everyone from undergrad. Whether they were upperclassmen, or below you in age. You never know when those connections are going to go a long way!
8. Consume content of those who are in your industry. For me I loved following Natalie Barbu since she was in marketing, and always shared her tips and tricks, but you should start to consume content in general that aligns or provides value to where you want to take your career.

I hope these 8 things help! I get a lot of questions about like that first job interview or getting your foot in the door, and honestly… it just comes down to putting in work and finding the right person that will give you a chance!