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A while ago I was interviewed by a writer who was constructing an article on what employers are looking for in new college graduates. It was a question that made me sit down and think about what I have heard from employers over the years that I have been a career counselor. Had it changed? Are employers looking for different things in 2008 than they were in 1997 or in 1987?
What I realized is that things have changed very little in all of the years that I have coached students and alumni job seekers through the job search process. Employers are still looking for the same things they have always looked for. They are looking for talented individuals who match their technical needs and who fit into their organizational structure. They are looking for people who have good interpersonal skills, can get along with other people, communicate effectively, and who can demonstrate that they have the right stuff: the team, leadership, organization, and problem solving skills that get things done.
So how do you convey to an employer that you are the perfect candidate? If you are going to get the attention of an employer and get the job, you need to stand out from the crowd. You have five ways of showing employers that you have the right stuff: your cover letter, your resume, your portfolio, your interview and last but not least, your enthusiasm.
You need to have an extremely well designed resume that makes it clear that you are the perfect candidate. An employer will look closely at your resume to find courses, project experience, and work experience that fit with their needs. They will also want to know that you have a certain combination of soft skills that will allow you to perform well on the job. There are three areas of your life that you can mine for the knowledge and skills that employers want: your education, your experience and your extra-curricular activities.
To begin with, employers want to hire candidates who can demonstrate that they have the technical expertise that fit with the job requirements. Your degree from an ABET accredited university goes a long way in telling the employer that you have the right stuff. Show your degree(s), certification, your courses, and describe any projects you have that are relevant to the needs of an employer. Your course list and class projects will show that you have learned things that make you likely to succeed in a particular position. The project experience you have had, either in a career related internship or job, also shows that you have the technical expertise you need to perform on the job. In the real world, projects are the primary focus of a technical professional. Show your projects prominently!
Employers will also assess whether you have basic soft skills that give you the ability to perform well in their work environment. Being a good student is not enough to get you a job. You will need to demonstrate to an employer that you have successfully used your soft skills too. Potential employers want to know that have you have learned how to manage a project, lead teams, worked as an effective member of a team, worked with customers effectively, as well as how to stand up and give a great PowerPoint presentation. Be sure to share it all.
Your cover letter, resume, portfolio and actual interview should all convey the same message and work in concert to show the employer you have what they need. You may feel you are repeating yourself but actually you are reinforcing the message over and over again. It helps you stay on message and avoid rambling, and it helps the employer grasp your true strengths.
Lastly, enthusiasm for what the employer does also goes a long way to making you a fabulous candidate. Chase what you love and ignore the rest. Being the perfect candidate means chasing the right job.
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November 2008
