Job searching after graduation is mostly a routine, not a talent contest. A steady, focused process beats bursts of a hundred rushed applications.
Week 1: set up
- Pick one or two target roles and the related titles you'd also accept (a Data Analyst can also apply to Business or Product Analyst roles).
- Build a list of 40 to 60 companies, mixing well-known names with growing mid-size companies.
- Write one strong base resume and get one honest review from someone in the field.
- Turn on alerts so new roles come to you.
Every weekday
- Spend 20 minutes on new roles posted in the last day or two.
- Send two to four applications you can tailor properly. Quality beats volume.
- Log each one in a tracker with the date and the job link.
Every week
- Follow up on applications older than two weeks with a short, polite note to the recruiter or hiring manager if you can find them.
- Ask one person in your target field for a 15-minute chat about their team. Referrals come from conversations, not requests.
- Practice: two or three technical or case questions for your field, and one behavioral story in the STAR format.
Keep score
Track your reply rate. If fewer than one in ten applications gets a response, change the resume or the targeting before sending more. If you get screens but not onsites, work on interviews. CareerYard's tracker shows your reply rate and moves cards automatically when you connect your inbox.