Whether you’re nearing the end of your college career or just thinking ahead, it’s important to decide what exactly you want to do post-grad, and how to go about obtaining your chosen job. Luckily for those interested in construction marketing, the Construction Marketing Association (CMA) offers a number of resources. We have the CMA career center to help you connect with employers and find jobs. We also have the CCMP (Certified Construction Marketing Professional) certification to help construction marketers’ resumes stand out. We want to help you find a job that you love. To show you how much we want you to succeed, below are 8 tips for college job seekers, based in part from US News’ article on landing a job before graduation.
1. Be Specific
It’s not enough to say you want to get into the construction industry. What kind of role do you want? What interests do you have? This is where the CCMP certification can help, showing that you have a clear interest in marketing’s role in construction.
2. Bulk Up Your Skills
You’ve decided on Construction Marketing (or something else). What relevant skills do you already posess? What areas are you lacking in? Obtaining some type of relevant experience will help, however, if this isn’t doable, CCMP again can work well here. It’ll prove that you have both the skills and understanding required for your desired career.
3. Get Personal
Explain who you are. Use your skills and experience as evidence to back up your story. Like getting specific, getting personal offers employers your narrative. Offering a story is easy to overlook but can be the difference between you getting the job or not.
4. Connect on LinkedIn
This is an easy way for you to get in front of potential employers. You can reach out to employers from any company you’d like, and likewise, employers may find you and reach out to you. Having a CCMP certification will help you stand out on the site – you’ll be able to place it in your certifications, bio, and in the headline under your name.
5. Create a Website
What better way to reinforce the ‘M’ of CCMP than to market yourself? Build a website to show you can put those skills into real action, and site design in itself is another skill to sell.
6. Have Your Own Business Cards
Having business cards handy for networking events or any chance encounters can make it easy for potential employers to contact you. It makes you look professional and serves as a reminder for the employer. Add your name, contact information, and background. Be sure to include your certification on the card.
7. Network with Similar Individuals
If you’re interested in Construction Marketing, network with those similar to you – those interested in construction marketing, and even those involved in marketing or construction alone. Even if the person you meet isn’t the person offering the job, they may know someone who is. When you become a CCMP, that’ll help you to connect with other CCMPs, as well. You all share the certification and can act as each others’ resources.
8. Search CMA’s Career Site
If you want the most relevant jobs to your Construction Marketing interest, then look no further than CMA’s career site. You’ll be able to post a resume for related employers to find, and similarly, you can apply for the most relevant jobs.
Get Started Today
The main ideas of obtaining a job prior to graduation are as follows: decide what you want to do, build your skills, tell your story, take advantage of job searching opportunities, and network. Our resources can enhance your ability to stand out, but it’s going to take your hard work. Get started as soon as possible for your best opportunity to successfully land the career of your dreams.