Google Careers is a free service offered by Google to help students and graduates find jobs and internships that match their skills, passions, and goals. If you’re looking to find your first job or internship, Google Careers has some features to help you out, including the ability to submit applications directly through the site. But there are plenty of other tools that can help you use Google Careers to your advantage as well, including a feature called the Google Job Search Engine (GJS). Here are five of our favorite ways that new graduates can use Google Careers to kick-start their career search.
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Explore Career Opportunities
The first step in your new job hunt should be exploring career opportunities at companies you’re interested in. There are tons of companies that hire interns and entry-level workers, so take some time to look around. Not only will it help you get an idea of what kind of jobs are out there, but it can also help refine your search and figure out where you want to apply. Browse company sites or check out our list of over 100 best places to work or read stories by recent grads who’ve taken new jobs.
Remember: if you don’t see any positions listed on a site, don’t hesitate to send a speculative application. Create a resume: After doing some research and figuring out which employers might be good fits for you, it’s time to put together a resume and possibly even a cover letter that’ll show them why they should bring you on board. Make sure your resume is tailored specifically to each position; employers like seeing that you’re willing to go above and beyond for them. And always make sure yours is up-to-date before sending anything makes an employer turn off faster than typos.
Build a Resume
When you’re trying to create a new career, your resume is essential. Whether you’ve been in school or have already gained professional experience, take time to update your resume before you start applying for jobs. If it’s been a while since you wrote one, consider using a template and connecting with an expert who can help make sure your resume gets noticed by potential employers. Make sure you list every job you’ve ever held and highlight relevant skills from volunteer work or extracurricular activities. And remember spelling counts. There are plenty of free resume writing templates available online that will make it easier than ever to craft an effective document that highlights your best qualities.
Practice Interview Questions
Since you’re applying for your first job, chances are you’ll have at least one interview. Nerves aside, interviews are an excellent opportunity to prove your worth to an employer. Make sure you come prepared with specific examples of times when you demonstrated a desired skill or trait. A little research on your prospective employer is also a great idea; make sure you can speak intelligently about their business and how it relates to yours in some way.
And of course, perfecting your elevator pitch will help ensure that everyone is talking about how awesome (and how well-informed) you were after the interview. You may even want to practice your pitch beforehand so you don’t get tongue-tied when asked. So tell me about yourself.
Get Job Alerts Based on Location or Keywords
With Google Careers, it’s possible to set up alerts for all job postings in a specific location or on a specific search. This is great if you want to know about new jobs in your area as soon as they come up and can save you from wasting time sifting through irrelevant posts that won’t be relevant at all. Remember, relevant is completely relative here: If you live in Chicago and are looking for a job at an organization within 50 miles of downtown, your parameters will look much different than those of someone who lives several states away and is looking into advertising-related work. The key here is knowing what you’re looking for before you start searching.
Download a Resume Template
You can search for your major resume template and you’ll find tons of free resources that can help you create a winning cover letter or CV. It never hurts to have something in your back pocket, especially if you’re writing your resume from scratch. However, even if you want to use a template there are some things you should know: First of all, be sure you don’t copy any elements directly from a template; it won’t impress anyone. Instead, tweak elements. So they match who you are and what experience sets you apart from other applicants.