Come May, all three of our Clairemont interns will be turning their tassels and leaving the beautiful UNC campus behind to officially enter the job market. With North Carolina currently at a 9.2 percent unemployment rate, we challenged our intern, Erin, to find out exactly what recent college grads and other young professionals need to do to make sure they get hired in an oversaturated job market.

Twenty years ago looking for a job meant checking the newspaper, asking around town and simply submitting an application or resume. Today, the search itself has become a full-time occupation. With endless access to job postings through search engines and social networking sites such as LinkedIn and Glassdoor, companies that at one time may have received 50 resumes for an open position now receive thousands.

So, just how do you beat out all those other applicants to land your dream job?

According to Richard Spector, Public Relations Society of America Jobcenter manager, you have to be just as strategic and persistent in your search as you would be if you were hired. In his recent webinar, “Your Guide to Career Success,” he outlined the top facts and “dos and don’ts” of a successful job search.

Interviewing

• Do your research. Know the company inside and out from social media sites to media coverage.
• Come prepared. Have a mock presentation with a strategic answer to that company’s needs.

Resume

• On average, resumes are judged within six seconds, so keep it simple.
• Your resume is your calling card. Use measurable examples to show things you accomplished.
• Use technology such as a QR code to show you can be both digital and creative.

Cover Letter

• Employers want to know what you have done, so start off with how you solved a problem.
• Take note from the cover letter that went viral and stay away from personal attributes.
• Be authentic! Keep to keywords and refrain from flowery language.

Online Profiles and Portfolio

• Make sure your Linkedin profile is 100 percent complete. Recruiters can see the holes in your profile.
• Google yourself. Are your online profiles easily accessible – and just as importantly, are they appropriate?
• Utilize your social profiles to position yourself as an industry thought leader. Follow different agencies and industry professionals on Twitter and re-tweet and share interesting news with your followers.
• In your portfolio, always remember quality over quantity. Only show the best examples of your work to potential employers.

Networking

• Use social media, informational interviews, job shadowing, volunteering and freelancing to meet other industry professionals.
• Build relationships by connecting over commonalities or giving recommendations.

BUT, what’s the most important thing to remember in every aspect of the job hunt? Be authentic and never give up! Twenty percent of job rejections will actually end in a job offer. As the old saying goes, when one door closes another door opens. Good luck and share your job search tips in the comments section below!