Thursday, October 4, 2012

When should Spring graduates start applying for jobs?

Is it too early to start looking for a full-time job now if I graduate in May?  I’d really like to get started!

1 comment:

USDCareerBlog said...

We get this question a lot – and it’s a good one. Here’s our response from an earlier blog entry....

Different industries, companies and organizations have very different hiring practices and timelines. Some, like many accounting firms, hire a year in advance, whereas others hire “just-in-time” (when they need to fill positions). Some organizations (like the federal government) take many months to collect resumes, interview candidates, conduct background checks, contact references, and make offers. Others complete the process in days or weeks. And of course some organizations hire predominantly from their pool of interns.

So here’s the bottom line – the earlier you start in the job search process, the better. Know your industry and the hiring practices of the organizations in which you’re interested. Gather all the information you need well in advance. Create a list of organizations for whom you’d like to work. Check their website and ToreroLink for job postings. Ramp up your networking. Fine tune your resume and cover letter. Schedule a practice interview at Career Services. Buy an interview suit. Then when the time comes to inquire about a position or submit an application – you’ll be all set.