Are you at this point in your semester where you’re just chewing the ramen noodles raw and snorting up the seasoning packets to save time, and also trying to cope with the terrifying prospect of an extended job search?

Both myself (Jason) and our team of writers (Nicole, Marty, and Josh) have seen it all.

As resume writing experts, we routinely hear of clients taking a full year to land their first full-time job. They make all the same mistakes that all their friends make, and they paid for it in the long run. But you’re not going to, because you have us in your corner. Let’s see what will ensure you’re still living at home well beyond your time, shall we?

Resume Writing Experts: Quantity Over “The Perfect Fit”

Your dumb friend: “I spent four hours lovingly crafting each bullet point in my resume to be perfectly tailored to the perfectly perfect job posting I found on Craigslist (note: use Indeed.com first), and then waited two weeks to hear back!”

The current job market is a numbers game, and applying to four or five jobs is not going to cut it. You need to apply to dozens of jobs each week to expect enough interviews to land a job.

Cast your net wider.

Location, Location, Location

Your dumb friend: “I just love my little corner of Nebrahoma so much, I can’t wait to find a job in Marketing here!”

Look around you. Do you see the industries you want to work in in your home town? You’re young and relatively unattached. The time to relocate for work is now. Go to where the jobs are, and stop wondering why you can’t find a job as a Financial Analyst on the Alberta Oil Sands.

Forget That One Job Title You’ve Had in Mind

Your dumb friend: “I’ve prepared for four years to be a Front End Java Developer, but I only found four listings for that job title.”

Don’t get hung up on job titles. Focus your keyword searches on your skills. Don’t type in “Brand Manager”, type “visual merchandising” or “Google Analytics”. Stop doing job searches with a laser focus, and accept that your first job may not look anything like the job you’ve been picturing.

Don’t Give Up

Your dumb friend: “I sent out like a dozen applications, and I haven’t gotten so much as a rejection email. I’m in limbo. This is hell. I must be least qualified graduate ever.”

The fact is, most of those people aren’t going to take the time to reach out to you, even to say no.

Searching for a job is a full-time job for most, and of course you won’t like it. But think this is your first real job and everything else will look brighter. Keep the self-doubt at bay, and keep plugging at it. That’s what the people with jobs did. And when you’re ready to get yourself a rock solid resume to back you up and display your real achievements, come talk to us.