There is a certain amount of relief when a student finally graduates from college; the years of hard work through all levels of school have finally paid off and they now stand, degree in hand, with their future laid out before them. That relief tends to be short lived when the reality strikes home that student loans now have to be paid and it's time to get a real job! Trying to land that first big job is always a daunting task, but perhaps even more so, at the moment given the tight job market. Companies are now offering fewer graduate positions and with literally hundreds of candidates applying for the same role, the interview process is even more important. With that in mind, here are some tips that can help you when making the transition from school to work. Research and prepare: If you have graduated from college with great grades, then that means that you have spent a great deal of time studying, which is a trait that you should carry over to your interview process. Take time to do homework on the company you are interviewing with and find a way to naturally weave that knowledge into your answers. Your pre-planning shouldn't only be limited to the actual interview, but also how to get there. Showing up late will put an immediate strike against your name and potentially eliminate you from the interview process. Plan the route you need to take to get to the location and don't be shy in giving yourself an extra 10 minutes to get there. Practice makes perfect: Job Interviewing can be a daunting experience which is why it's a good idea to do a few mock interviews before the big day arrives. You can ask a friend or family member to conduct the “interview”, but make sure that it is someone who is subjective and who isn't afraid to tell you that your answers were not that strong. A great tip is to write down 10 examples of achievements or skills that you would like to portray to the interviewer and integrating these examples into your answers. The worst mistake is going to the interview without preparation and stuttering your way through the interview. Creating a professional image: Most people are aware that they have to dress the part when going for an interview, but that extends beyond the clothing. Make sure that your hair is neat and tidy, and that you are well groomed; having a hairstyle that looks like you just stepped out of bed will quickly negate the fantastic suit you are wearing. As a recent graduate, portraying a professional image is vital to your success. Remember that a hiring manager will make an immediate impression about you the second you walk in the door. A positive first impression is vital to your success. Being prepared, arriving on time, and looking the part is only a small part of the process. You have a limited amount of time to impress the interviewer, so use that to sell yourself as best as you can, without coming across as arrogant or pushy. Confidence is as important as your education, and it may just end up being the deciding factor between you and another candidate.

Competition (too few jobs and too many graduates) Here is the scenario… You have graduated college with a good looking degree; you feel on top of the world and ready to pick and choose your dream job. The reality however is that your one of a many in the same boat. While you feel as though you would be best suited for a particular role there can be hundreds of other people who feel the same way as you. I often tell the story about my days as a recruitment consultant where I used to recruit for graduate positions. I would post a graduate position on the job boards and by lunch time I would have 200 applicants in my inbox. So what can you do to differentiate yourself from the rest of the crowd? You need to ensure that your resume is in the top 5-10% of all resumes. A single mistake in your resume can be the difference between your resume ending up in the interview stack or in the deleted folder Downturn in the economy We are all sick and tired of hearing about the global financial situation, sluggish economic growth and rising unemployment. Unfortunately this is the situation which new graduates find themselves facing when looking for a job. My best advice is to network, stay patient and increase the effort into the job search. You are going to have setbacks and days when you feel like the whole world is against you. The real challenge will be ones of Continuing perseverance and confidence. Lack of Real world experience My advice to all graduates (and those preparing to graduate) is to seek work experience. I personally hated this advice while I was at university but looking back now my work experience helped me plan out my career and gain vital experience in competitive industries. When the time came to put forward my resume, my previous work experience set me apart from many of my competitors. Too high expectations Many graduates (myself included) complete university and expect to hand pick the job which they want. Furthermore, graduates have an expectation that they know what is best and should actually be the boss rather than working for the boss. So many times I have had graduates apply for job positions which are so unrealistic and then get despondent because they are not getting interview requests. It's important for graduates to realize that they need to gain the experience before they can call themselves the boss. Debate between further higher education and job seeking Do you continue to study or start straight away with the job seeking? Many graduates don't have a choice in this matter but for those who do continuing to study can lead to greater results long term (financial and job position) and also further help distinguish yourself apart from other graduates. On the other hand is it better to start working and get your foot in the door? There's no better education then real life experience of learning on the job.

After writing numerous resumes for students and recent graduates, I found that the vast majority of them tend to omit part-time or temporary jobs from their resumes. A lot of students have experience working in either the retail or hospitality sector, and because these jobs are not "real jobs" or full-time positions, a lot of students do not feel the need to include them. "Why would I write that I worked there on my resume?" a student recently asked me, referring to a retail store. The answer is - a lot of part-time and temporary jobs that students tend to hold actually provide valuable skills and experience that employers are looking for on resumes. Employers are aware that you probably have little to no work experience, so any experience is usually viewed as a positive. The important thing is to demonstrate this in an effective way on your resume. Don't just write "folded clothes" or "processed transactions" when referring to a retail position. Instead, include that you built and maintained relationships with customers or that you regularly met or exceeded your sales targets. There are tons of other skills you could have acquired, but it all depends on the way you present yourself. Sell yourself and make your position stand out amongst similar positions from other candidates. Just remember - don't trivialize your work experience. There are skills to be learned from every job, and it's important to show on your resume that you've acquired skills that are relevant to jobs you're applying for, especially when you have little to no work experience.

Don't despair! Just because there is doom and gloom in the world does not mean businesses are not hiring. It does however mean that competition for the job you are searching for is even more competitive than ever. So how do you get a step ahead of your competition? Just like Nike and Adidas are two of the most recognisable brands in the world, as a graduate you need to think of yourself as a brand that you are selling to potential employers. Consider what makes you exclusive — why should an employer give you the job? If you don't think your special enough to work for a particular organisation than why are they going to choose you out of all the people applying for the same job? Remember that your resume is one of a potential 100 / 200 if not 500 resumes sitting on the employer's desk. The hiring manager or recruitment agent have limited time in reading your resume so in order to stand out among hundreds of other applicants you have to market yourself effectively. First impressions count so make sure the right one is made about you. The most important rule for a graduate is the message you convey to a potential employer. Everything you say and do should reinforce the idea that you are indeed the perfect candidate for the position. You have the required skills to fulfil the role and the organisation which you are applying for is 100% the place where you want to work. If the role demands attention to detail, demonstrate these qualities through your punctuality and error-fee resume, and illustrate them with experiences about previous positions. Don't waste time on information that doesn't reflect your suitability for this particular position. In the technological age we live in and the world changing each and every day, employers are likely to seek and be impressed with graduates who demonstrate flexibility and adaptability, showing that they will be able to cope with these future changes. One last thing - Stay positive No one says it's easy to get a job. These days many industries are increasingly competitive, and the job-hunting period can be difficult and long. It may take a considerable length of time and multiple rejections before you find your first job. Getting a foot in the door is often the hardest part of the whole job process.

Writing your first resume can be very daunting, especially if you have little to no work experience to speak of. This is a common problem for students, and a lot of them go about addressing this problem the wrong way - they either apply for jobs that do not require a resume, or they turn in a resume with little to no content. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR RESUME BLANK!!! Every person, including you, has skills and knowledge that you can show off, even if you have never worked a day in your life. The challenge is for you to discover and transcribe these skills and knowledge into words. Students, for example, can look to relevant courses and educational achievements - what skills did you pick up from some of your classes? Did you strengthen your written communication skills, for example? Did you increase your knowledge of marketing principles and practices? Students can also write about relevant courses in the same way they would write about a past job. They can provide a brief description of the course, for example, along with "key roles" undertaken and "achievements" that resulted because of their work. I would highly advise catering each resume toward the job you are applying for. Take a look at the job description - does it list qualifications or skills that they are looking for in a candidate? Try to include these somewhere in your resume. Most job seekers are qualified for the positions they apply for, whether they have years of professional experience or not - the challenge is to figure out where you've picked up these skills and to transfer that knowledge onto paper.