Searching for your summer internship or first job after college is obviously a nerve-racking experience—but it shouldn’t be.
With more digital platforms, online guides, and amazing companies hiring than ever before, it’s so easy to find your dream role at your dream company. Whether it’s your first job or an internship that you’re looking for, both can be amazing opportunities that pave the way for rewarding, life-long careers.
However, all of the possible benefits put a lot of pressure on the search process. Here are three tips for keeping calm during the job search process.
1. You Can Prepare More Than Ever Before
There’s not a type of job interview in the world that someone hasn’t already done—and they probably wrote a blog post about it. Even interviews for specific companies have reviews written for them on Glassdoor and similar sites. We’ve assembled guides on most types of interviews.
Even if you’re worried about the stuff that comes before interviewing, we’ve got you covered. We’ve got guides on resumes (even on how to make job-specific resumes). Don’t worry about stuff like cover letters, cold emailing, and networking events, either.
With all these resources online and (hopefully) better education standards than ever before, you have the ability to be fully prepared for any type of interview.
2. You Can (And Definitely Should) Apply To More Than Just A Few Jobs
It might not seem like it while you’re spending every day looking for just one of them, but there are so many jobs out there. Most recruiting experts will say that—even for top-tier, experienced talent—a healthy ratio of applications to interviews is to 10:1. In some places, that number is as high as 27 applications to get one job interview.
So, ask yourself, have you sent out 10 job applications yet? That’s just for one interview. You should really be thinking about sending out about 40-50 applications over the course of a few weeks.
One of the biggest mistakes people make in the job application process is that they simply don’t submit enough applications. Some people are tinkering perfectionists who just can’t seem to finish something to their standards. Others are just ignorant to the reality of the situation. But this isn’t bad news.
There are thousands of jobs out there. The goal is to find the right one for you. Don’t spend all your time obsessing over minor details for the three jobs you’ve decided you do really want. Take that passion you have for those jobs and find other ones just like them. You’re much better off finding your dream title and role and then applying to it at multiple companies you think are a great fit.
3. Businesses Are Looking For More Than Just Experience
If you’re a college student or recent grad, chances are you don’t have a ton of professional experience. That’s okay. In fact, for some companies, it’s actually what they’re looking for.
Entry-level jobs are called “entry-level” for a reason. They’re for people hoping to find their way into an industry or career path. They’re not for industry veterans or insiders—or even people with 3-5 years of experience. Entry-level jobs are for recent grads.
Some college students even worry that they will be blocked out from internships because of a lack of other internship experience. There are plenty of ways to get a job or internship when you don’t have experience. For example, highlighting skills on your resume gained from school projects, extracurricular activities, or volunteering.
More than anything, businesses want people who have done their research on the industry, have a demonstrated interest in their potential job, and have the curiosity and intelligence to learn. Show them these qualities, and it’s not all about who had the flashiest internship her junior year.
The Best Tip
Research the companies, make sure your resume and cover letter are set, and apply. However, the real trick is doing all this in about an hour (of actual focused work time). Don’t spend too much time worrying or even researching (you can save the bulk of your research for once you get the interview).
Have we squashed your fears yet? Need more career advice? Check out amazing companies and all-star advice on the WayUp blog.
