You are fresh out of school and you are new to the job market. Your school never taught you how to look for a job and you just have no clue. If this sounds a lot like you, continue reading as it will help you become a pro in writing a resume and cover letter.

1. When seeking for companies that are hiring...

Pick out about 5-6 companies you wish to apply to.

a. Don't try to pick and select the best company you like.

- You know getting a job nowadays is like getting a star from the sky. You don’t want to bet-it-all in one company; you want to give yourself some options.

b. Researching and studying different companies will help you grasp the idea of how the industry you are interested in is like.

- You can start by reading off 'About Us' section in each company's website.

- You don't need to spend a massive amount of time stuying for each company, and just be general and treat the information as just a reference when writing the cover letter.

2. How to grasp the insight of company...

Now you have access to general information of the company as you read through their foundation, morals and goals. What’s your next step? 

a. Look up news articles on the company (recent 5 years is good).

- Based on their past strategies and activities you've read in the articles, you can come up with new ideas for the company and are able to propose how they can do better. This will show how dedicated and serious you are about the company, and how you are the talent that the company was looking for!

b. Talk to someone who is working in the field.

- Learn about the responsibilities and insights on the position. You will have higher chance of getting the job if you show that you are knowledgeable in the position, even if it is an entry level position.

3. Your own stories/experiences they can sympathize with...

Now it's time to show them YOU.

a. Come up with your own experiences related to the company and the position you are applying to, and that of the recruiter can sympathize with.  Here are some examples you can talk about in your cover letter.

- Talk about the causal relations, not the result. You need to provide how that particular experience caused you to become responsible and the person you are now. 

- Talk about the purpose of the experience and change you went through from that. What you’ve gained and thoughts that came across.

- Talk about how it would’ve been different if you didn’t have this particular experience in your life and how you would hand it differently if you can go through it again.

4. Obvious things worth noting...

Last but not least, you can't forget about minor mistakes that can be easily made.

a. Make sure you put all your information correctly.

- i.e. Education, major, minor, skills, experiences

b. Make a seperate section for qualifications you want to emphasize.

- i.e. Unique experiences, certificates, foreign language skills, etc.

c. Carefully include your hobbies, special skills, and etc.

d. Talk about your 'actual' weakness and how you cope with it.

- When talking about your weakness, don't write about that obvious weakness 'that can turn into strength'. Write about a real weakenss and the key here is to write about the process of how you conquer it.

If you take note of all these things, you are half way there in getting the job!

Please check out our previous blogs that are worth reading if you are new to the job market.

JobKoreaUSA  |  Irene Na