Count Down to Graduation – Six Tips to Your Dream Job
Hello Seniors,
Welcome back from Spring break!
Our staff at the Undergraduate Center for Career Development (CCD) would love to meet you and help you with your current job search strategy. We have six tips for you to implement from now to graduation.
Please note, the items use Italics fonts are for international students only, please check the hyperlinks in those sections. You will need to log in Babson Hub for the hyperlinks on Handshake and CareerBeam.
Tip One – Plan
Make a detailed, actionable plan with deadlines.
- International students, please visit Galvin office immediately to decide when to apply for OPT
- Finalize your resume – make sure it includes all your relevant internships and course work experience. You can find more details from CareerBeam
- Check Handshake’s job postings and fairs daily to be aware of the deadlines. Consult CCD staff for additional resources.
- Build a spreadsheet with actionable daily plans and track each application with details
- Company Name
- Job title and description
- Expiration Date, Application Date
- Contact Person
- Status Update…
- International students can also check those six tools for job posting
Tip Two – Network
Believe it or not, this is the most common way to find job. Some experts say that 70 percent of people ended up in their current position thanks to networking.
Make sure that you network with everyone. CCD staff can provide guidance to help you develop proper skills to network with Babson Alumni.
- Research, conduct information interview (if you can)
- Your inner circle – family, friends, classmates, faculty
- Your outer circle
- Previous co-workers and supervisors
- People you met in network events
- Friends’ friends
- Your neighbor, hair dresser …
- LinkedIn is the best tool for networking
- For international students, specific professional associations provide additional opportunities for those who have targeted industry and job functions in mind
Tip Three – Apply
Once you have some knowledge about the companies and positions and have made some connections, it is time to apply before the deadline.
- Finalize your cover letter with CCD (if employer requires one)
- Prepare your pitch (elevator speech)
- Attend Job Fairs and relevant Events
- Apply for jobs via all channels – Do not stop after you submit via employer sites
- Follow up even if you do not hear answers
- Make sure to follow up with your contacts in about one week
Tip Four – Interview
With some luck and hard work, we hope that by now you are able to land some interviews. There are no short cuts for this step. Practice! Practice! Practice!
Some common things to think about:
- Reflect on Past Interviews (what went well?, what did not go well?)
- Practice Mock Interview with CCD and CareerBeam
- Arrive 15-20 minutes early for parking and checking-in
- Mind your non-verbal communication
- Do not panic when there is an odd question, ask for time to gather your thoughts
- Send a thank-you email afterwards within 24 hours
- Prepare early and round up your references
- International students have some unique differentiators to be aware of
Tip Five – Offer
Now that you have a written offer (or perhaps several offers), we advise you to evaluate the entire offer letter for total compensation package. Please keep in mind that there is no need to negotiate every terms of your offer letter.
- Use salary.com to compare the offers in different locations and assess your needs. Other resources include Glassdoor, Salary Expert…
- If you decide to negotiate, check CareerBeam Negotiation Section for tips
- Consider other areas of improvement such as signing bonus or job titles
- Decide your bottom line and strategies
- Schedule a discussion with your hiring manager and HR in person (if possible) or over the phone before the deadline
- Present your value and ask for reasonable increase in salary
Tip Six – Plan B
Congratulations! You are now about to graduate. Let’s celebrate! Please note that 25-35% of Babson students obtain their jobs or go to grad school during the first 6 months after graduation. So you still have plenty of time to start planning and revisit the above.
International students do have a shorter deadline due to visa requirement. It’s not too late to create a Plan B.