{"id":117553,"date":"2014-09-17T17:58:00","date_gmt":"2014-09-17T22:58:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.dacgroup.com\/not-easy-green-job-search-tips-new-grads\/"},"modified":"2024-12-21T05:54:28","modified_gmt":"2024-12-21T10:54:28","slug":"not-easy-green-job-search-tips-new-grads","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.dacgroup.com\/en-ca\/insights\/blog\/strategy\/not-easy-green-job-search-tips-new-grads\/","title":{"rendered":"It\u2019s Not Easy Being Green \u2013 Job Search Tips for New Grads"},"content":{"rendered":"

We’ve all been there. Certified, bright, enthusiastic and…GREEN<\/span><\/strong>.\u00a0 We know, it\u2019s not easy but, being green also means you\u2019re well on your way to becoming what you want to be.<\/p>\n

DAC will be working the campus circuit over the next two weeks. We\u2019ll be in New York at Columbia University September 19<\/a> and in Waterloo for Partners 4 Employment (P4E), September 24<\/a>. We\u2019re excited and looking forward to meeting the up and comers in the digital industry and quite possibly, DAC\u2019s next hire. With eight offices throughout North America, a roster of tier one, fortune 500 clients and an environment that loves innovation we\u2019re bound to have something that will pique your curiosity. We\u2019re hoping you\u2019ll bring something along that will pique ours. We want to help you out so, in addition to inviting you to stop by, say hi and drop off your resume we\u2019ve pulled together the following tips to help you in your career search.<\/p>\n

LinkedIn<\/b><\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s face it \u2013 online presence carries more weight these days.\u00a0 If you\u2019re going to start a career in digital, you should be on at least one social media channel and using it to leverage your \u201cpersonal brand\u201d and advance your career.\u00a0 LinkedIn is quickly becoming the new \u201cfirst impression\u201d. Hiring managers will more often than not, check out a candidate\u2019s profile while they are looking at their resume.\u00a0 The benefit of a really great LinkedIn profile is that it will show that you are professional and polished.\u00a0 It\u2019s a snapshot of your experience that doesn\u2019t need to be as detailed as a resume but will still provide a summary of your work experience and accomplishments (that being said, NEVER substitute your resume with your LinkedIn profile!).\u00a0 In terms of whether or not to put up a picture on your profile,\u00a0 it always helps to put a face to name, but to clarify – you should look professional in the picture you choose, so please, no bathroom selfies or patio pictures with your shades on!<\/p>\n

An important use for LinkedIn is to expand your network of professional peers.\u00a0 Yes, you could invite your friends if you want but the main purpose is to connect with those that will extend your network and contribute to your career path.\u00a0 One thing to make sure of when you are sending requests to connect on LinkedIn is that you personalize your message.\u00a0 It doesn\u2019t have to be long, but anything is better than the standard \u201cI\u2019d like to add you to my professional network on LinkedIn\u201d.\u00a0 Instead, try \u201cHi ___, I\u2019m a new graduate that\u2019s excited to build a career in Marketing.\u00a0 I\u2019d love the opportunity to connect and perhaps I could pick your brain on how to break into the industry.\u201d<\/p>\n

Certification<\/b><\/h2>\n

We live in a world where learning is a common practice.\u00a0 There are tons of tools at everyone\u2019s disposal and if you\u2019re looking to start a career in Digital<\/a>, why not upgrade your knowledge with some of the certification programs out there?\u00a0 These programs will teach you industry practices and how to react in real-life marketing case studies.\u00a0 Not to mention, digital can be a swirling vortex of niche terminology and abbreviations.\u00a0 Certifications will provide you with a solid foundation of knowledge to build upon and then some.\u00a0 By completing a certification, you\u2019ll be able to speak \u201cdigital-ese\u201d on your resume, and more importantly, during your interviews.\u00a0 The beauty of online certifications is that you do them on your own time.\u00a0 Once you successfully complete one, that\u2019s it! You will be certified and eligible to indicate so on your resume.\u00a0 This is something that digital hiring managers look for in candidates, even at the experienced level.\u00a0 For example, if they see that junior level candidates have already obtained their Google AdWords Certification<\/a> – that\u2019s like finding resume gold! Gold, Jerry!\u00a0 <\/b>That being said, not all companies use the same platforms and tools, so don\u2019t just go out there and take everything.\u00a0 Be selective as job postings will usually have a good indication of what platforms a company uses so start your research there.\u00a0 Some tools, like Google Analytics – are free to use and learn, so take advantage and see if you like it!<\/p>\n

Internships<\/b><\/h2>\n

Finding a real job can be very competitive, no matter how educated or qualified you are.\u00a0 If you can, try and gain some real world experience by taking up an internship.\u00a0 The clear benefit of an internship is that it will give you hands-on experience while you are exploring career options.\u00a0 For example, if you thought you loved SEO and took up an Internship with SEO-related tasks<\/a>, you could realize that it\u2019s not your cup of tea, but you\u2019ve still gained the digital experience along the way.\u00a0 People who work in internships will have a chance to prove themselves to an employer.\u00a0 Sometimes a position will open up while someone is interning and the employer will offer them the job first because they already know what his\/her work is like and his\/her cultural fit with the company.\u00a0 It should be noted that this doesn\u2019t ALWAYS happen.\u00a0 At the very least, an internship will open up your network tremendously.\u00a0 Make connections with those you work with during an internship (maybe add them to LinkedIn!) and who knows, they might know people at other companies with openings that match your interests.<\/p>\n

Ultimately, when a resume is light on work experience but has included an internship the applicant has done since graduating school, it gives the impression that this person is dedicated to developing their career in that field.\u00a0 Even better, internships help close that pesky gap between dates of when a person graduates and when they started their first job.\u00a0 This brings us to the next point\u2026<\/p>\n

Resume and Cover letter<\/b><\/h2>\n

Does anyone remember printing a dozen copies of your resume that you could just drop off at companies, hoping for a call to come in for an interview?\u00a0 Anyone?\u00a0 Bueller?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

No one remembers that practice because it is all but extinct.\u00a0 All resumes are now submitted electronically into the vast world of applicant tracking systems and databases.\u00a0 At the end of the day, the method of submission is not so important but the content of the resume is.\u00a0 It\u2019s great to have a general resume\/cover letter template to work with but really, everyone should be tailoring their resume\/cover letter to the exact position they are applying for.\u00a0 Every job application you complete is a mini-homework assignment, which requires a degree of research on not only the position, but the company you\u2019re applying for.\u00a0 DO YOUR RESEARCH!\u00a0 You don\u2019t want a full-blown thesis for your resume and cover letter, so the recommended length should be a one page cover letter, followed by a two page resume.<\/p>\n

Some tips when writing out both:<\/p>\n

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