Free Advice
When Should You Apply? Job Search Timeline
Students often wait until the last minute to get ready for the job search, and that’s a bad idea! The hiring process can follow an extended timeline, so the last thing you want to do is wait until graduation to begin submitting your resume.
So when should you start applying? The short answer is: it depends. I know that doesn’t help you out that much, so allow me to elaborate.
Certain companies and industries start hiring well in advance of graduation. Companies representing fields like consulting, investment banking, engineering, and accounting might visit your campus or conduct interviews in the fall. In those instances, you want to start applying as soon as possible.
However, for most fields and certainly among smaller and mid-size companies, college recruiting happens closer to graduation. They conduct “just in time hiring” which means they only hire when they know they have an opening.
As such, they aren’t going to interview students or extend offers until much closer to graduation time. Even though that’s the case, you still want to be prepared. Fine tune your resume over the Thanksgiving holiday, and begin networking with all your friends and family over semester break. You never know who crazy Aunt Nelda may know! Then you will be prepared to send your resume to companies around February and early March.
How do you know if the companies you’re interested in are going to hire you in the fall or in the spring? You can do a little homework and find out!
Talk to your career center. The career center counselors often have relationships with numerous local and national companies. This is your “one-stop-shop” for all your career questions. They can give you the schedule for upcoming career fairs where hiring managers are looking to find eager students just like you. Sometimes, companies will arrange on-site interviews through the career center as well. If the career counselors know you by name, you will be the first person they call when a company submits an opening or job posting.
In addition, the career center often sponsors alumni panels and networking events where you can meet prominent alumni at companies where you want to work. This is an excellent way to learn more about a company’s hiring needs and their timeline.
You should definitely visit your career center early and often! It is a great resource, and it’s FREE!
You can also check out the company’s website and even call them to ask them what the hiring process is. The worst news of all is to find out you missed their deadlines.
You have numerous resources; you simply need to reach out. Take a proactive approach to your job search, and you can’t go wrong.