Looking for work that works for you
It can feel tremendously difficult to find a job. Even more so if you’re trying to find work that appeals to you and your skillset directly but it can be done (sometimes that job you want may find you instead). All it requires is some perseverance and knowing what to look for. However, you should know that it’s okay to settle for a job that you didn’t want. Sometimes you just need to work so you can afford to keep living comfortably and doing things you like.
Before you come to terms with that, first you’ll need to find out where you can look for jobs. Nowadays there’s plenty of online resources for you to set up your resume and portfolio which makes it easier for companies to gauge what you’re capable of.
Some popular job sites like LinkedIn, Glassdoor and Indeed will be essential tools for looking for local and distant work (Google is also surprisingly robust if you want to search straight from there). There’s one site in particular that’s useful for students, Handshake, since it can help you find jobs within the university. Some jobs under the university (student workers) require you to be a student, but those positions come with the benefit of working with and around your class schedule. They might not be what you’re looking for but they’re definitely something worth considering if you have cramped semesters.
When looking for jobs, you don’t need to specifically hunt through sites since you can pick up some job opportunities through people you’ve made connections with. There could be the chance that a friend, family member or even your professor will have some work that you never even considered. After you’ve looked through and exhausted the options you have available to you, all you need to do is start applying for everything.
Unless you’re completely unqualified for a job (such as not meeting degree and experience requirements) you shouldn’t be afraid to apply. It may seem daunting but you should trust your abilities and cast aside any self-doubt that you might have. A job that you’re qualified for could seem complicated at first but you’ll be surprised at how much work you can handle.
Once you’ve applied for everything you reasonably could all you need to do is wait until an employer contacts you to begin the interview and assessment process. Don’t be discouraged if you don’t hear back quickly if at all. Just be sure to keep trying (assuming the position is open).Hopefully you’ve also applied for jobs that you aren’t interested in because it’s important to have something you can fall back on if things don’t go as expected.
If the only job you get is a position for something you’re not invested in, then take that time working to further improve and acquire new skills. There’s nothing stopping you from continuing your job hunt for something better than what you get.
