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Job search feeling more challenging than you expected?

Here are 5 reasons why and what you can do about it.

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1. You feel confined by previous experience

People tend to focus the job search on traditional roles directly related to their degree.

But you can be more creative than that.

For example: Psychology graduates don’t have to become therapists. The research skills they’ve gained can help them in marketing or UX design roles.

Think about what you’re good at!

You may find you have more transferable skills than you think.

2. You mass-apply to hundreds of jobs

Stop sending generic resumes and waiting for a reply.

Some tips on how to better tackle the job hunt:

• Do research to understand what employers really want,

• Follow up on applications after a week,

• Tailor your resume to each job application (can use ChatGPT to help),

• Manually reach out to employees at the company.

3. You’re not networking

There are a lot of opportunities that aren’t posted on job boards.

An effective way to land internships (or even jobs!) is through your connections.

Join communities, reach out to one person each day, ask for openings.

Psst: Networking newbie? Read this article for tips on how to get started.

4. You need to showcase your portfolio

A successful EntryLevel student, Oluwatoyin discussed the importance of a portfolio.

“You need to get a portfolio,” she said. “People need to see what you've done.”

Portfolios are a great way to show, not just tell. With a portfolio, you’ll showcase the skills and experience listed in your resume.

They can also help prove to employers that you can really do the job.

Psst: If you need additional support for your portfolio project, check out this article on portfolio websites to try.

5. You’re not sharing your learning

Stay competitive by continuously learning — and posting about it.

This is a good way to demonstrate your skills, even without relevant experience.

Try:

• Participating in webinars,

• Listening to podcasts,

• Reading books,

• Enrolling in online courses.

Employers appreciate candidates who are adaptable and embrace growth.

Summary

Job searches are hard and many factors that can contribute to these struggles.

Our best advice?

• Know your strengths

• Be proactive

• Tap into your network

• Build a portfolio

• Share your learning