Part I of JobStreet.com’s ultimate guide for fresh job seekers

With an unemployment rate at 5.7%, job seeking in the Philippines can be both an exciting and frustrating venture for fresh graduations. It doesn’t help that there are some pretty destructive millennial myths labelling this generation as “lazy” and “entitled.” And while different generations may feel like they’re in a war against millennials, the business scene remains a place that needs fresh talent who can inject new ideas, are more socially aware, and are comfortable around technology.

To turn this conflicted scenario into a win‑win solution, here are some of JobStreet.com’s tips for fresh graduates who are in a hunt for their dream job.

Know what you want

Figuring life out immediately after graduation rarely happens. Don’t panic if you haven’t a concrete life plan yet. Keep calm and carry on.

However, to help you contemplate, schools usually conduct seminars about employment before graduation, where you will be presented with career options that are relevant to your course. As much as possible, attend these seminars and take an idea or two about your next steps.

Explore that idea further. Do you want to work at a big company and form connections there? Or are you thinking of joining a small business or startup to make your mark?

Level the playing field by knowing about work

Once you have an idea of the “what” and the “where,” the next thing to do is “know” as much as you can about it.

Read articles from reputable sources online, ask questions on online forums, and temper your expectations by checking out Jobstreet’s Salary Report Tool. Being a fresh graduate, the rates that you’ll receive will be definitely smaller. But rather than getting discouraged, be challenged to prove your worth even more and eventually ascend the corporate ladder.

Add skills to your portfolio

There’s a large possibility that you won’t be hired or even start applying for jobs right away immediately after graduating. To make the most out of this idle time, you can try learning new skills that will definitely come in handy when you’re already employed.

You can take this further by enrolling for an online course from top universities at Coursera or Udemy. There are plenty of free online courses on those websites, and some even come with a certificate upon completion (at an additional fee). These skills will give you an additional edge when you’re applying over your colleagues and some of the more experienced jobseekers.

Make technology your best friend

In a world where almost everything is just a click away, applying for jobs is definitely easier and more convenient. According to a Seek Asia study in November 2016, 79% of millennial jobseekers trust online job portals when it comes to job hunting. This trumps word of mouth (41%) and company walk‑pins (28%) by a large margin.

Start by creating your profile on JobStreet.com, the largest talent marketplace in the Philippines. Most likely, you’ll find a couple of listings that fit your skills and location preferences. Once you’ve completed your profile, you’re good to go.

Don’t be discouraged if you didn’t find a job to your liking right away. Turn on the email notification settings and you’ll regularly receive LiNA job alertswhenever new jobs that fit your profile get posted on Jobstreet.

Learn from it

Job hunting, among other things, is also a learning process. Most likely, some of your preconceived notions about work and life in general won’t survive this part of your budding professional life. But trust the process. If you make mistakes during an interview, take note and never make them again. If you realize that the position you were eyeing isn’t what you wanted after all, accept and move on. Finding a job is an adventure, and while it can get exhausting, now that through it all, you are also becoming more mature.

Good luck!