This document provides a summary and excerpt of a job search guide for new graduates. It includes tips on choosing a career path, conducting an effective job search through networking and persistence, and crafting strong resumes and cover letters to stand out. Key advice involves focusing applications by tailoring materials to specific opportunities and highlighting relevant experience and skills. The guide also stresses maintaining a professional online presence through social media as employers increasingly check candidates' profiles.

1. How To Get A Job That Doesn’t Suck:
A No-Nonsense Job Search Guide For New Grads
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2. 2
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction: Making A Name For Yourself. Literally. ......................................3
Job Search 101: Methods, Tools & Tricks ..........................................................4
Resumes & Cover Letters: Getting Your Foot (And the Rest of You!)
In The Door.................................................................................................................7
A Handshake, A Smile, and A Whole Lot of Practice: Interviewing Like
You Mean It ..............................................................................................................10
The Real World: Graduation Edition .................................................................13
Special Student Offer: 4 months for only $19.95 ..........................................13

3. 3
According to the National Center for Educational Statistics, colleges and universities are expected to award 1.0 million
associate’s degrees, 1.8 million bachelor’s degrees, 821,000 master’s degrees and 177,500 doctor’s degrees in 2015.
That’s a lot of degrees, and a lot of competition. So maybe it’s not surprising that more and more job-seekers are turning
to some unusual and creative job search methods to get noticed. Here are just a few that actually worked:
A Product Manager named Phillppe Dubost turned himself into the product by creating a resume designed to look exactly
like an Amazon.com product page. Within a week, he’d not only garnered over 200,000 “hits”, but received over 100 job offers.
In April 2012, a 22-year-old Minnesota job seeker literally made a name for himself, by plastering his name and web site
across a giant electronic roadside billboard. It took about a month for him to secure a sales position with a 3D
scanning company.
In the summer of 2010, an advertising copywriter named Alec Brownstein bought Google ads advertising his own services.
The ads targeted specific creative directors, and were designed to show up only when those individuals searched for their
own name. Eventually, he got a job with the well-known ad agency Young & Rubicam.
Taking the Next Step: A Job Search Primer
You don’t necessarily need to try stunts like these to get hired (although we won’t stop you). But if you want to land a job
that doesn’t suck, you do need to find a way to set yourself apart from your fellow job-hunters.
We’ve designed this booklet to help you navigate the often-tricky transition from the student section to the happily employed.
First, we’ll talk about how to get your job search started. How do you go about finding opportunities in your field? And,
what if you’re still not quite sure what field you want to be in?
Next we’ll discuss resume and cover letters. Don’t have a lot of work experience? Not to worry. We’ll tell you what you need
to include to get noticed by the right people.
Finally, we’ve got some tips for acing your interviews. We’ll help you be ready for any question—no matter how out of left
field it is.
Of course, if you’ve already got a great gig lined up after graduation, congratulations: you’ve just earned the envy of most
everyone else reading this. But if you could use a little help taking the next big step in your life, read on.
INTRODUCTION
MakingANameForYourself.Literally.

4. 4
Job Search 101:
Methods, Tools & Tricks
“Success doesn’t come to you, you go to it.”
-Marva Collins
Searching for a job as a new grad presents some unique challenges. The best way to improve your chances is to be
prepared: students with high GPAs, internship experience and proven leadership qualities will always have a leg up in
the job search. Beyond that, there are some concrete steps you can take to get on the fast track to long-term success.
Choosing A Career Direction: Follow Your
Passion, Not the Money
Before you can go after your dream job, you’ve got to
have an idea of what it is. According to Anthony
Spadafore, author of Now What? A Young Person’s Guide
to Choosing the Perfect Career, nearly 70% of mid-
career workers believe they are in a job that’s out
of whack with their talents and goals.
The best way to avoid finding yourself in a similar
position is to have a clear career direction now, at
the beginning of your work life. Experts suggest
choosing a career based on your interests, passions,
and strengths. Consider what classes have most
excited you, volunteer experiences that have changed you, and skills you’ve developed both in school and in life.
One smart strategy is to take a variety of classes, and find out which jobs might fit you best. Alex J., a Graphic Designer,
told us that he came to his design career by “taking multiple classes and finding out what you really like”, “ruling out what
I didn’t want to do”, and considering “where I’m going to be happy in the long run.” Alex sees himself staying in the design
field for the foreseeable future.
Need more career inspiration? Try a career aptitude test. You might be surprised by what you discover. LiveCareer offers a
scientifically-valid career test you can breeze through in less than half an hour. (And it’s totally free.)

5. 5
Launching Your Job Search: Cast a Wide Net, and Think Beyond the Internet
Sending out resumes on Craigslist or Monster and hoping for the best is all well and good, but in today’s ultra-competitive
job market, it probably won’t be enough. Particularly at this stage of your career, networking will be your best
job-search strategy.
“I had professors who told me it would take 6 months to
find a job in my field, and I’d laugh at them. Then when
6 months hit, I was like, “oh my god, they’re right!”
School resources, like career centers and drop-in counselors, can be a valuable resource. Often, schools have built-in
alumni networks that can provide you with possible connections to get your foot in the door. If you have internship
experience, draw upon the contacts you made there for opportunities and references.
Max Knoblach of Mashable suggests reaching out to people you admire in your field, by finding their email addresses or
even tweeting at them. Vlad C., a Talent Coordinator, took this advice. He started out his college career by taking accounting
and financing classes—but sensed the financial world wasn’t for him. He got in touch with a number of recruiters, who
told him that with his personality, a career in human resources would be perfect—and he’s been on that path ever since.
You never know when or where you’re going to meet the right person to help launch your career. Nick S., an Office Assistant,
“had an idea of what I wanted to do, but didn’t know how to get there.” Then he met a recruiter—in a bar of all places—
who helped him land a job that he’s now enjoying. “It helps to drop a lot of hooks in the water,” Nick advises job-seeking
grads, “and don’t be afraid to get your hands wet.”
Patience is a Virtue—But Persistence Pays Off
This will become obvious to you if it hasn’t already, but: job hunting is not always fast, and not always fun. It’s important to
remain motivated, to keep making connections and sending out those resumes. Above all, be patient, be persistent, and
don’t give up hope!
“It helps to drop a lot of hooks in the water,” Nick advises
job-seeking grads, “and don’t be afraid to get your
hands wet.”
Malcolm A., an Online Marketing Analyst, estimates that during his job search, he sent out 30 resumes for each response he
received. Mackenzie R., a recent college grad and Marketing Intern, said she was surprised by how long it took to find the
job she wanted: “I had professors who told me it would take 6 months to find a job in my field, and I’d laugh at them. Then
when 6 months hit, I was like, “oh my god, they’re right!”
Mackenzie
Nick

6. 6
Starting Your Job Search: Dos and Don’ts
DO
Research the
job market
Find out what the market is
like in your field. Research
the top companies, and try
to understand what they’re
looking for.
DO
Use
social media
89% of companies consider
social media when hiring.
Be sure that you have a
LinkedIn profile, and that
your social media presence
is professional.
DO
Take advantage
of school/alumni
resources
Your school’s career services
office can help you with
career counseling, job
listings, and networking
opportunities.
DO
Network
extensively
Attendnetworkingevents,join
professional/alumnigroups,
andmakeconnections in
person. Get in touch with the
people you meet and remind
them of your conversations.
DON’T
Rely on
the Internet
Job boards like Craigslist
are great tools, but not the
be-all end-all. Reach out
to people you admire and
companies you’re interested
in directly.
DON’T
Be too picky
at first
Youmightnotfindtheperfect
positionrightoffthebat.
Expertssayit’smoreimportant
tofindajobwhereyoucan
learnandgrowthanonethat
fitsyourideal.
DON’T
Be afraid to use
connections
Have an aunt who works
in the field you want to
get into? Cool. Call her up.
Reach out to family and
friends who might be able
to help.
DON’T
Forget to
follow up
Don’t assume your resume
is going to be at the top of
an employer or recruiter’s
list. Follow up if you don’t
hear back within a
week or so.
no
thanks!
hello?
Christy Eichelberger of Getting Hired recommends being selective in the positions you apply for—but not too picky. She
notes that scaling back your ambitions a bit can be a great way to expand your options and eliminate some frustration.
For example, a candidate hoping to work for a Big 4 accounting firm might try to get a job at a smaller firm first, then try to
move up once they get the right experience.
Another part of not getting discouraged during the job search is using your time well. This means keeping busy, whether
by volunteering, networking, or working on your LinkedIn page or website. Malcolm recommends considering doing “free
work” for a company during your search—building a “badass portfolio” in the process. Whatever your approach, it’s super
important to feel like you’re always moving forward. Need more tips you can use to get hired sooner? LiveCareer has got
you covered right here.

7. 7
Resumes & Cover Letters: Getting
Your Foot (And the Rest of You!)
In The Door
“If you get your foot in the door, kick the door in.”
-Unknown
These days, employers are looking for entry-level candidates who
are a cut above: people with multiple internships, high GPAs,
demonstrated leadership abilities and extracurricular excellence.
Both your resume and your cover letter should clearly demonstrate
what makes you stand out as a candidate. How can you build a stellar
resume and cover letter with limited real-world experience? Here are a
few quick tips to help you get started.
Crafting Your Resume: Putting Your Best Foot Forward
If you haven’t written a ton of resumes before, it’s hard to know where
to start. It’s easy to get hung up on whether you should include an
objective statement or choose a functional or chronological resume,
but our advice is this: lead with your strengths, highlight your
most relevant experience, and make sure your resume reflects
what employers in your field are looking for.
Hiring managers and recruiters are busy people. So, think of your resume as a marketing document and start with your
best selling points. This could be a job, an internship, your perfect GPA (you’ve got one of those, right?) or even a volunteer
position. This is advice Mackenzie wishes she’d followed with her resume. She led with a section focusing on her skills, and
buried her previous internship lower down on the page. If she could do it over again, she’d be sure to list her experience first.
“Most of [my experience] wasn’t relevant, so the key
was tailoring my resume toward what I was applying for.”
Alex

8. 8
A common entry-level resume mistake is to include every job/experience you’ve ever had, even if they have nothing to do
with the position you’re seeking. Alex says he “had a whole bunch of experience” when he started looking, but “most of it
wasn’t relevant, so the key was tailoring my resume toward what I was applying for.” Malcolm, meanwhile, recognized that
many companies use software to screen resumes, and used job-specific “keywords” to customize his resumes.
Using a quality resume template can make creating a resume a whole lot less intimidating. It can also make your resume
stronger and more competitive. LiveCareer’s award-winning Resume Builder guides you through the process step-by-step,
and features eye-catching designs to help you resume look as good as it sounds. Check it out here.
Making a First Impression: Tackling the Cover Letter
Many job-seekers, entry-level or otherwise, dread cover letters. As Mackenzie put it succinctly: “It’s hard to write a cover
letter.” But cover letters really do make a difference: according to a 2012 survey from OfficeTeam, more than 9 in 10
executives said cover letters play an important role when evaluating candidates. Why? For one thing, cover letters serve as
an example of your writing abilities. For another, they’re an opportunity to highlight or expand upon any experience/skills
you didn’t have an opportunity to fully explain in your resume. Finally, cover letters are a chance to show that you’ve read
the job description and are ready and eager to meet the challenge of the position.
89% of companies consider candidates’ social network
profiles as a factor in making hiring decisions.
Cover letters shouldn’t be one-size-fits-all. As with resumes, it’s important to tailor each letter to the specific job. Even
if you use a cover letter template, make sure that your letter feels personal, and not like a fill-in-the-blank form. Here is
your chance to touch on specific, relevant experience that sets you apart. Did you learn something in your internship that
makes you the perfect candidate? Want to highlight a particular piece in your portfolio? Include it in your cover letter—
preferably in paragraph #1.
All that said, your cover letter, like your resume, should be brief: no more than three paragraphs. Hiring managers often
see dozens of applications per day: have respect for their time, and grab their attention quickly. Check out some sample
professional cover letters, organized by job and industry, here.
Cover Letters can be challenging—but they don’t have to be a roadblock in your job search. LiveCareer’s Cover Letter
Builder is an excellent resource to help you organize your thoughts, and put them into a workable, professional format.
You can try out the Cover Letter Builder here.
Being Social: Using Social Media and the Internet to Build Your “Brand”
These days, your resume and cover letter aren’t the only marketing documents that you have at your disposal. According
to a recent survey cited by Miriam Salpeter of U.S. News & World Report, 89% of companies consider candidates’ social
network profiles as a factor in making hiring decisions.
This means a few things for you. One, you’ll want to make sure your social profile on Facebook and similar sites is
employer-friendly. In a competitive marketplace, employers are looking for reasons to eliminate candidates, not include them.

9. 9
Those pictures of you partying on the frat house roof? They need to go. Be sure that your online presence can survive an
employers’ background check.
Two, you need to treat social media like an extension of your resume. Facebook has a work and education section, and
you should fill them out (include this in your Twitter feed as well). You should also have your resume, portfolio and bio on
LinkedIn, and ask teachers, mentors or past employers for recommendations you can include on your profile.
Last but not least, consider creating a personal website as an extension of your resume and personal “brand”. Malcolm
recounts how this strategy paid off for him: “It was a matter of blasting emails to all the different companies. And then
what got me hired particularly is…I was working on my own website and kind of branding myself. Later, I found out that
my website, and in particular a slogan I’d developed on the site, was the reason I got hired.”
Resumes & Cover Letters: Dos and Don’ts
DO
Lead with your
educationandskills
If you don’t have a lot of
professional experience,
start with your best selling
points: your educational
qualifications, and skills
that could transfer to a
professional environment.
DO
Include unpaid
work/activities that
show leadership
Volunteered with a well-
known organization? Worked
for an important cause?
Awesome. Include it under
“Experience” on your resume.
DO
Use the proper
resume format
A chronological resume (listing
your work history in reverse
order) is usually best, but if you
don’t have a lot of experience,
consider a functional resume.
DON’T
Send a resume
with typos
The fastest way to get your
resume thrown in the trash
is to send a document
riddled with misspellings,
formatting problems, or
other mistakes.
DON’T
Use crazy fonts
or colors
Using“crazy”fonts,unusual
colorsorsuper-fancypaper
mightgetyourresumesome
attention—butprobablynot
thekindyouwant.
DON’T
Go over
1 page
You probably don’t have
enough experience to justify
a longer resume. Focus on
your best selling points, and
keep it short and sweet.
DON’T
Send a
laundry list
Your resume is a sales tool,
not a laundry list. Don’t
include every class you ever
took and every summer
job you’ve ever had, unless
they’re relevant.
3.
2.
1.
TYPO
& 1
DO
Customize your
resume for each job
One size does not fit all. Your
resume needs to target the
employer you’re sending
it to, and emphasize the
parts of your background
that most fit the role.

10. 10
A Handshake, A Smile, and A Whole
Lot of Practice: Interviewing Like
You Mean It
“Whenever you are asked if you can do a job, tell em, ‘Certainly I can!’ Then get
busy and find out how to do it.”
-Theodore Roosevelt
Interviews can be scary, especially if you don’t have a ton of practice. And
practice and preparation are absolutely key. But there’s a lot of wisdom in
the phrase “fake it till you make it.” The more confident you act, the more
confidence you’ll project. These tips are designed to make your interview
process go more smoothly—and to help you know what to do after the
interview is over.
Before the Interview: Do Your Homework
As soon as you land the interview, start researching the company you’re
interviewing with (if you haven’t done this already). You’ll want to find out
everything you can: read the company website, look at industry competitors,
Google the executives (and your interviewer, if you know who it is). Think
about where they’re positioned in their marketplace, and how your skills can
help them become more successful.
The new grads we spoke with underscored this in no uncertain terms. Malcolm told us (only slightly tongue-in-cheek) that
he’d “get as creepy as possible with the people I’m going to interview with.” Mackenzie went even further, joking that she’d
“stalk” potential employers. While we don’t advocate any actual “stalking”, this does highlight the legwork you’ll want to
do before you even walk in the door for your interview.
Be sure to prepare some questions of your own. Think about what you’d like to know about an employer: corporate
culture, company vision, etc. The more specific you can be, the more you’ll impress an employer by showing them you’ve
done your homework. A caution: don’t ask about salary or benefits during the first interview. There will be time for that
later on.
Finally: you’ve heard it before, but practice makes perfect. Practicing interview questions and answers beforehand will
help you become less nervous, and more prepared. And be sure to get a good night’s sleep before your interview. Above

11. 11
all: try to relax. Andy L., a Product Management Intern, has the right idea when he talks about having a “balanced, Zen
approach” to interview preparation.
Want more interview prep advice? Visit LiveCareer’s interview videos page, featuring interview samples with good (and
bad!) answers to some of the most common interview questions. Check it out now.
The Day of the Interview: Look Sharp & Be Ready for Curveballs
OK, so it’s interview day. You’re excited, you’re nervous, you’re dressed for success. But above all, you’re prepared. Pay
attention to what interview experts call non-verbal cues: smiling, eye contact, posture, etc. Even the most subtle physical
gestures can make a big difference. John Ricco, founder of the Atlantic Group, advises young applicants to literally sit on
their coats during interviews: “It will make your jacket appear to fit better,” he suggests.
Once the interview has started, there are a few key things to pay attention to. Be careful that your answers don’t run on
too long. Experts recommend keeping your responses between 30 seconds and two minutes. And those questions you’ve
prepared? No need to wait till the end to start tossing them into the mix. By asking questions, according to Nathan Elton,
Director of Career Services at Davidson College, “you’re taking an active role to get the interviewer to respond and share
information about the company, or about the job, and turn it into a conversation.”
You should be ready for just about anything—including questions you didn’t or couldn’t prepare for. Vlad recalls being
asked “if you were an animal, what kind of animal would you be?” Andy was stumped by “How would you explain Twitter
to your grandmother?” Often, with the left-field questions, it’s less important what your answer is and more important that
you can show you’re ready for the unexpected. Keep a calm head and a sense of humor, and you’ll do fine.
When your interview is over, be sure to ask about next steps. (“When should I expect to hear back from you?” “Who should
I contact to follow up about the status of my application?” etc.) This will give you a better idea of the timeframe of their
decision-making process, and, more importantly, will show that you’re enthusiastic and interested in the job. Then, thank
the interviewer for their time, make eye contact, and give them a firm handshake. Later, you can follow up with a thank
you note.
After the Interview: Following Up and Background Checks
The day after the interview is when you should send your thank you notes—preferably by postal mail. Even in this age of
email and instant messaging, Forbes magazine recommends you send a handwritten personal note to each and
every person you interviewed with. Your notes should be short, informal and to the point. If possible, make a quick
reference to something you discussed in the interview, and close by expressing your enthusiasm for the position.
While you’re waiting to hear back, you shouldn’t put your job search on hold. Keep sending out resumes and scheduling
interviews—the more irons you have in the fire, the better off you’ll be. If you haven’t heard back from a company for a
while—say a few weeks, or a week or so longer than they said they’d take to get back to you—then it’s time to check in with
them. A simple non-pushy phone call will suffice: mention that you just wanted to check back and see if they have any
updates on the position, and if there’s anything else you can provide them that might be helpful. If you don’t hear anything
after that, move on to the next opportunity!

12. 12
If employers are interested in you, they will likely check your references. They may also conduct a background check that
includes checking your social media accounts. These days, like it or not, the internet is an extension of your resume, so
you’ll want to make sure that there’s nothing there that you don’t want an employer to see on Facebook, Instagram,
Twitter, etc.
When (not if!) you do get that job offer, you’ll need to discuss salary. One important thing many first-time job seekers for-
get: you don’t need to accept the first offer. Consider what you think you’re worth as well as the value of getting your foot
in the door. To find out more about negotiating a salary, download our earlier eBook, Getting What You Want at Work:
Raises, Promotions, and Going For Your Goals. You may also want to consult LiveCareer’s free Salary Calculator to find
out what the market is like for positions like yours. Good luck!
The Interview Process: Dos and Don’ts
DO
Practice,
practice, practice
Developyourinterviewing
chops by rehearsing
answers to likely questions.
Practice in front of a mirror,
or with a friend.
DO
Dress
the part
Appearance matters: wear
well-fitting professional
clothes, look your
interviewer in the eye, and
pay attention to your
posture when speaking.
DO
Your
homework
The more you learn about
the company you’re
applying to, the better. Try
to identify what their needs
are, and how you’d be
able to help.
DO
Ask
questions
At some point in the
interview, your interviewer
will ask if you have any
questions. If you’ve done
your homework, you
absolutely should.
DON’T
Act
nervous
Nerves are natural, but
nervous tics can distract
from what you’re saying.
Read this for some tricks on
overcoming nerves.
DON’T
Ramble
Experts suggest that your
answers to interview
questions should be
between 30 seconds and two
minutes. Go on too long and
you’ll lose their attention.
DON’T
Ask about
money
Discussionsaboutmoneyand
benefitscancomelater.Focus
onshowingyourinterviewer
thatyou’rethebestpersonfor
thejob,andthatyou
reallywantit.
DON’T
Forgettosenda
thank-younote
Your job’s not done when
the interview’s done. Send
a note, preferably hand-
written, thanking your
interviewer and reinforcing
your interest in the job.
?
Thanks!

13. 13
The Real World: Graduation Edition
Whether you’re a brand new grad or a professional with decades of experience, finding a job in today’s marketplace isn’t
always easy. While some students make a seamless transition to a successful career, many others find making the tran-
sition from college to “the real world” more challenging. But if you persevere and take the right steps, you can find a job
you’ll enjoy. It might not be everything you wanted—few jobs ever are. As Alex told us: “There are very few people who
go right out of college into a job and it’s perfect. As long as you stick with it and keep pursuing what you want
to do, it’ll eventually start to work out.”
We at LiveCareer wish you all the luck in the world—and we want you to know we’re here to help you on your journey,
every step of the way.
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