New Grads: How To Get A Job Outside Your Major

Are you an art history major but you dream of working in public relations? Are you a business major but now you want to work in design or tech? If so, you wouldn’t be alone. I often am asked by new grads if it is possible to work outside of their major. Will employers consider you for a position when your experience and degree are in another field?

The answer is an unequivocal yes. You can look for work and find a career outside of your major. Here’s how to do it:

Tips to get a job outside your major
Things to do for a post-grad job
Job interview tips for new grads

Tips to get a job outside your major

Your resume should draw parallels. When applying for any job, it’s imperative that you use keywords that are indicated on the job description. Ofcourse, the problem in this case comes in when you don’t have experience in that exact field. So, what do you do? Go through your current experience, skills, accomplishments and talents and ask yourself how can i relate what I have to match or add value to what the position or the job requirements indicated on the job description. For instance, you might be a business major but are interested in pursuing a career as a social media analyst, there are some skill sets that overlap between these two career paths. For starters, business acumen is essential in both, marketing, promotions, strategizing are part and parcel of each. Consider creating a bulleted list on your resume and under each of the listed items create parallels that draw attention to how you could be of value

Incorporate industry buzz words
The job description, the company profile on the website and so on have industry buzzwords or keywords. Look at the words that commonly appear on the job descriptions of the industry you’re interested in. What are these words? What skills are they looking for? Once you’ve established what these are try and include them in your cover letter, resume and interview. Ensure you create a connection between what you have and what they are looking for. Remember that most companies and hiring managers use applicant tracking software which scan applications for keywords to determine if the candidate is the right fit.

Use your cover letter to seal the deal
The cover letter is your opportunity to sell yourself and prove to the hiring manager you are capable of meeting objectives despite you major being from another field. Answer these questions in your cover letter “Why do you want this position? Why do you feel you can excel in this environment?” and so on.

Have an explanation
When you land a job and are called for an interview, you need to have a solid explanation for the apparent disconnect on your resume and the job at hand. Figure out what it is about the field you’re interest is inspires you the most, What draws you to this job? Create a list of the top factors or reasons of why you’re interviewing for the position. Be ready to connect the dots for the employer including why you majored in the degree your degree, what you have learned through experience and why the sudden change of heart about pursuing that field. For instance, as a business management I learned that although I’m passionate about the business world, I’m more interested in event planning . That experience has led me to change my direction and explore event planning on a larger scale and for a diverse range of companies.

Things to do for a post-grad job

While it may be challenging to join the workforce after graduating from a university, there are some things you could do to improve your chances. It’s no secret that a degree is a prerequisite for employment. More so because college or university-educated individuals provide high-quality work, productivity, innovation, communication, among other benefits. However, this does not mean getting your first job out of college will be easy. Below is a list of things you could do to increase the likelihood of getting a job faster.

Look for a mentor
Look for a trusted friend, a parent, or a former professor to be your mentor. A mentor can offer invaluable knowledge and help you think through the job you want, weigh your options, assist you to negotiate an offer, provide cover letter advice, help you practice for interviews and so on.

If you are looking for a job outside your major, it will be of significant help to have a mentor from within that industry. This can be anyone, including somebody you met during a part-time job, internship or volunteer work. However, do not limit yourself. Regardless of whether you’ve figured out the industry you want to join or not, it’s crucial to have a mentor to help you through the process.

Establish useful friendships and relationships
Be open to the idea of forming a network of contacts and aim to stay in touch. Thanks to social media networks, you can broaden your contacts list. Join platforms such as LinkedIn, attend career conferences or tag along to one of your former school’s alumni meetings. Doing this will not only help you to meet new people and form strategic relationships, but will also provide an opportunity for you to interact with people in various fields which will provide you with insight and enlightenment about what you might be interested in doing.

Network
Traditional networking can never be overstated. In relation to the point above, create a LinkedIn profile, list your education, and connect with people in your field or other fields that you may be interested in. Alternatively, use twitter to share industry news and follow industry influencers.

Whenever possible, find time to upgrade your connections and job search activities. Go beyond the internet with your networking efforts. Organize coffee dates with former school mates who graduated before you, ask to meet with your professors, attend informational sessions from job fairs, companies, among other in-person events. Always seek advice, ask people what it is they did differently in their job search, and the most effective strategies that you could use. Be sure to follow the tips provided and always remember to connect with the people you meet in person via LinkedIn and send a follow-up thank-you note.

Prepare your resume
It’s never enough to just write your resume. You need to tweak and refine it continuously to include any recent milestone you’ve accomplished. Being a new grad, you may have minimal to no work experience; therefore it’s essential to emphasize on your accomplishments while in school or even after, highlight your education credentials,any honors you received, and so on.

Go for informational interviews
It can be outright challenging to join the workforce straight out of college. From job title confusions to entry-level positions demanding a substantial amount of experience or even where to begin in the first place. However, informational interviews can help you figure out all this gibberish. You’ll be able to know which jobs are reasonable for you to apply for and those that are not.

Besides giving you invaluable information that will assist you to target your job search, informational interviews offer you with an opportunity to network further and establish connections with a company and its employees.

If you’re having a hard time getting an informational interview, contact your former lecturers or even the career office at your old university and request them to connect you with an alumni to help you practice your interview skills, review your resume, mentor you, and so on.