Looking for a job after graduation can already be a stressful process and on its own right. But adding on top the awkward chat about negotiating one’s salary may feel even more overwhelming, especially when you don’t know your worth. That’s why many job hunters don’t even try, they just accept what they are offered.
Persistency and seizing opportunities coming your way skillfully can be a big part of landing something amazing. Below we are sharing some time-tested ideas about how to hunt down that first job.
1. Be open: your dream job may not be what you think it is
If I was told when I graduated what my job today would be like I would have probably never believed it. However, thinking about it now, I couldn’t picture myself doing something else.
The job you are dreaming about today may simply not be the right one for you or the right step in a long career. “My advice is to be open to change. Don’t be afraid to try something new.” shared Bill Gates in a 2020 commencement speech. “ The important thing to remember about career paths is that they don’t have to last forever. […] I never saw myself working in philanthropy or on global health at all. […] as you get older, your skills will evolve and your interests as well.”
So the first advice to keep in mind when it comes to landing your dream job is to stay open. You’ll be surprised about the opportunities that will later come your way.
2. Understand your market value
Knowing your worth is something mandatory nowadays in a job market that lacks reliable information and is overall very opaque for job hunters. Luckily, there are dozens of tools out there to calculate the salary range someone with specific experience and/or education in a domain should be making in the city you’re looking for work.
You can, for example, use a salary checker which is a small chatbot that tells you based on your city how much you should be making. Just enter the salary you’re looking to ask for or that you currently make and the chatbot will tell you how much you should be making. It’s that simple.
And if you are relocating, don’t forget to take into consideration the differences in living expenses between the city where you’re right now compared to where you are moving to.
3. Be patient and persistent
The right job at the right wage doesn’t come without effort and patience. If you are still a student, start to look even before graduating.
And if you are at it already, it’s important to not give up after setbacks. If you’re interviewing for a job and the compensation is below market, consider passing on it for another opportunity.
It’s ok to say no. Accept a job opportunity if the job is the right fit. But the most important thing is to be persistent and patient when it comes to job hunting, even if it can bring its fair share of uncertainty.
You can also sign up on a website such as Wanted, that sends along job opportunities automatically only at the desired salary or above, even a few months before graduation. That way you’ll start getting job opportunities at the right salary without even having to look for a job actively. And if you get the right opportunity you can just go along with it without much effort and without that awkward salary negotiation.
4. Be willing to take risks
And Finally don’t forget to take risks. “In a world that changes really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.” said Mark Zuckerberg, CEO and founder of Facebook. If you don’t try it now, you won’t try it later. Take the chance to work on your dream project, travel and meet new people or simply go for an unplanned opportunity. A career is a long journey and you may never know where it could have taken you if you just said “yes” to something interesting.
Source : The Yale Tribune