In today’s economy, recent college graduates are having difficulty finding jobs. The job market is becoming more and more competitive. With student loans to pay, the pressure to immediately find a good paying job can be enormous. In the meantime, the weeks or months that you spend job hunting can drain your finances. Here are six ways to save money while you are handing out resumes and interviewing with companies.
Sign Up for Free Job Boards
The internet has helped a lot in saving time and money. Instead of physically going to the company to hand over your resume and application form, most companies nowadays use the internet to do their recruiting. They advertise on various job boards. Most of these services allow job hunters to sign up for free. Subscribe to their newsletters so that you get the latest news and job listings. Also visit the company websites one by one. Some of the bigger firms have their own recruitment system on their websites.
Look for Community Career Centers
You can find a variety of groups that are concerned with the youth employment. Some of them have established community career centers which aim to help new graduates with their job hunting. These are usually NGOs or local government funded programs. Try to locate a center near you and see what services they have to offer. At the very least, you will be able to get some job listings, and maybe free internet access and photocopying services. The well-funded centers will probably offer some training programs that you can join for free or for a very minimal fee.
Carpool with Friends to Recruitment Events
Transportation costs can add up if you go to several job fairs each week. This is especially true if these events are outside your hometown. To save on transportation costs, gather a group of friends who are also looking for jobs. Plan to go together so that you only take one car. That’s a big savings in gas and parking fees. If you want to save even more money, pack your own lunch if it’s a whole day affair. That would be cheaper than eating out at the restaurant.
Keep Your Receipts
It is inevitable that you will be shelling out some cash to pay for various expenses while looking for a job. They may include but are not limited to a buying a business suit and briefcase, internet subscription, photocopying and printing, and transportation costs. You should never forget to keep your receipts and file them at home. Some of the expenses that you incur while looking for a job can be tax deductible. Familiarize yourself with IRS Publication 529 to be to determine which items can be deducted from your income tax.
Negotiate to Pay in Installments
One of the best ways to speed up your job search is to use an agency or a service that will help you match your skills to job prospects and secure job interviews. Another option is to hire a career coach that will help you rehearse for your interviews by engaging in role play. These kinds of services can help you immensely, but they can cost a lot of money. If you are hell bent going on this route, negotiate for an installment plan to make it easier on your wallet. Try to see if you can start paying once you receive your first paycheck. That will give them incentive to help you land a job as quickly as possible.
Take Free Internet Courses
While job hunting, a big chunk of your time is spent waiting. Spend your time wisely by being productive. Nowadays, there are a lot of free courses that can be taken online. You can take an online training module that will develop new skills that potential employers want to see. You can also search online for resume writing tips to improve your resume while you wait.
Looking for a job is hard on your wallet. How did you save money while you were out job hunting?